Artwork by Takiyah Ward
Future Forward: Artist‑In‑Residence Program
In 2020 and 2021, as part of a joint response from the City of Seattle to fund the arts during the COVID-19 Pandemic, Friends of Waterfront Seattle initiated a virtual artist residency that created opportunities for artists while asking them to explore the past, present, and future of our city’s waterfront from an arts lens. Artist in Resident Takyah Ward was selected and partnered with artists from across the city, including Psych-Pop, Evelynn Li, Jac Oliver Trautman, Marcus Jackson, Rey Daoed, Tyler Ung, Damon “Creative Lou” Brown, Scott Méxcal, and Sneke One.
Friends of Waterfront Seattle, in partnership with the Office of the Waterfront and Civic Projects, welcomes you to experience the art created through our 2020 Future Forward: Artist-In-Residence Program. This Artist-In-Residence pilot was created to ensure artist-led projects are a cornerstone of Friends’ Waterfront Park programming and to ensure participation of a range of artists, especially those representing communities of color.
This inaugural project represents the collaborative work of local artists, elders, cultural advisors, and production teams to create temporary art for multi-media experiences.
Friends of Waterfront Seattle welcomes you to experience the multimedia experiences created through our 2020 Future Forward: Artist-In-Residence Program.
This project was led by our first-ever Artist In Residence, Takiyah Ward, who envisioned the waterfront as a backdrop to explore the notion, “What is the Truth?” With the conceptual framework of Past, Present, and Future, Takiyah gathered a community of multi-generational storytellers and artists from diverse communities to share their unique experiences and perspectives. We invite you to reflect on these prompts that Takiyah shared with the artists: remember, learn, discern, determine, imagine.
Learn more about the artists, explore their work, and hear their stories below.
PAST / Pier 58
“An offering plate for the ancestors,” 2020 by Scott Méxcal, digital art
Set to honor the past through the passing down of Elder stories, local artists Sam “Sneke One,” Scott Méxcal, Damon “Creative Lou” Brown, and Artist In Residence, Takiyah Ward, were selected to define the truth through the creation of murals that will be displayed outside of Pier 63.Coming to the pier soon.
PRESENT / Pier 62
ARTIFACTS FROM UTOPIA was on view at Pier 62 Nov. 13, 2020 through Feb. 18, 2021. Created in 2020, Psych-Pop, mixed media, various dimensions. Photo by Robert Wade.
Artist In Residence, Takiyah Ward, asked local artists, “How do we honor our elders, determine our self, and protect our youth?” The artist collective Psych-Pop, comprised of Devon Midori Hale and Chi Moscou-Jackson, responded by creating an installation of light sculptures now on view.
FUTURE / Pier 63
“Connections Through Music,” 2020, Evelynn Li, digital art
Artist In Residence, Takiyah Ward, asked local youth artists “How do you envision the future?” and offered guiding prompts: project, forecast, predict, calculate, gauge, expect, extrapolate, plan, imagine. While Pier 63 is not open, we invite you to view and experience these artworks in our virtual waterfront environment.
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