Victoria Haven: Olympic Sculpture Park

Seattle native, artist Victoria Haven’s process could be described as a form of mapping. Her abstract drawings, prints, and videos are markers of time and place that connect us—by way of association—to history and lived experiences.

Haven's dramatic wall drawing, Blue Sun is inspired by a recent video project where the artist filmed the radical transformation of South Lake Union from her studio window, over a ten-month period.

At certain times during the year, the camera recorded unusual optical effects that made the sun appear as a blue dot. These were not natural phenomena that a viewer could see when looking at the landscape—they were effects created by the optical apparatus, resulting from the light reflected on the camera lens. As the arc of the sun progressed from winter into spring and summer, other patterns emerged from the reflections of the sun on nearby buildings in the city, creating an imaginary geography.

These observations form the basis for the design of the wall drawing, which consists of a cluster of bold crystalline forms that traverse the entire length of the east wall of the Olympic Sculpture Park's Paccar Pavilion. The forms register as sculptural structure, creating a dynamic dialogue with other sculptures at the park.