We're Already Here
Artist
Civilization
MediumAluminum plate and tube, stainless steel fasteners, acrylic polyurethane paint
DimensionsVarious
ClassificationsSculpture
Credit LineGift to the City of Seattle made possible by the generosity of the taxpayers of Washington State, Administered by the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture
Description: These artworks commemorate our region’s dynamic response to the AIDS crisis. We’re Already Here was inspired by signs carried by demonstrators whose public outrage broke through the silence, apathy, and ignorance that resulted in the death of thousands early in the pandemic.
Cal Anderson Park is named for the first openly gay Washington State elected official. A decorated US army veteran, Cal was a passionate advocate for social justice. He led the fight for laws prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation while serving in our State House of Representatives and Senate. He died in 1995 of AIDS. These artworks honor Senator Cal Anderson and all who have fought for positive change, and they stand in remembrance of the many lives tragically cut short by AIDS.
The title of these three grouped artworks refers to a quote from Brian Day, a Seattle business owner and celebrated activist who focused on issues concerning people of color and the LGBTQ community. He was a founding member of ACT UP Seattle and sat on the Governor’s Commission on HIV/AIDS. He died in 1990 of AIDS. Day led a public demonstration that year to garner support for the AIDS hospice that became Bailey-Boushay House. Responding to area residents who opposed the facility being built, fearful of people with AIDS coming into their neighborhood, Day replied: “We’re already here.” Day’s seemingly simple reply is an urgent demand for recognition and understanding.
Protest signs are, by their very nature, impermanent and disposable items, yet their function is vital. Within the era of AIDS, these objects have been graphic battle cries of a community under siege—the visual expression of fear, rage, and grief turned into action. The specific messages incorporated into We’re Already Here were sourced from actual demonstrations, parades, and vigils that took place throughout the region—messages that are just as important today.
Location: The central plaza off Denny Way between Broadway Avenue and 10th Avenue East
