Braincast
N 47° 36.390 W 122° 19.987
10T E 550123 N 5272781
You only have about 15 seconds at a time to view this piece of multimedia art. Don't blink!
Waymark Code: WM47Q5
Location: Washington, United States
Date Posted: 07/18/2008
Views: 14
Coordinates are for the entrance located off 4th Ave. Go into the library through the revolving door. The piece is located on the escalator between the 3rd and 5th floors. From 4th Ave, you are on the first floor. The piece can be viewed either going up or down the escalator, but you will closest to it when you are going down. Reach the 5th floor via the elevator and head down the escalator or take the escalator from the first floor to the third floor and then head up to the fifth floor.
This multimedia piece of art was designed by Tony Oursler and was installed in the library in 2004. As you ride the escalator, you may think that something bad happened to the wall here, but once you move a little further, you will see the art. It is displayed in a hole cut into the wall and then covered with plexiglass. The piece consists of round forms, which faces are projected onto. They talk to you in a whisper or low voice as you ride past. The faces and voices are constantly cycling through, so you can look at this piece many times and not see the same thing. It is only visible while riding the escalator, so it may take you a number of rides before you have time to fully appreciate it. Luckily the exit of one escalator is right next to the entrance of the other, so making many round trips is easy!
Photos were hard to capture of this piece. Between the short time frame, the moving escalator, and the every changing projection, none of the photos that I captured do this piece justice. If you happen to stop by on a day while the escalator is broken and you can walk up or down it you will be in the perfect position to capture better photos.
Parking is available on the street or in nearby garages. There is a garage located under the library off of Spring Street. Parking is free for the first 20 minutes in the garage. There are daily tours offered of the library that highlight many different features and designs.
Learn More about Seattle Public Art