On November 7, 2011, Olympia City Council approved the Percival Landing People’s Prize Sculpture Award. From August 25-September 30, 2011 the public was invited to view the exhibition of loaned sculptures currently on display along Percival Landing and vote for the artwork they felt the City should purchase. A total of 313 votes were received during the voting period. Of that, 187 were from Olympia proper, 39 were from Lacey, Tumwater and Thurston County. In addition, visitors who voted came from across Washington State, Vancouver BC, Hawaii, California, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, New York, Oregon, and the Netherlands.
With 83 votes, King Salmon by Dan Klennert of Elbe, WA, was the peoples’ choice. King Salmon is constructed of found metal, using everything from horseshoes in the body of the salmon to a large cogwheel at the base of the 10 foot tall sculpture. Comments regarding why King Salmon appealed to voters included its use of recycled materials, and the concept of salmon as important to our NW heritage and environment. Klennert has been a NW sculptor for the past 39 years. His work can be found in the permanent collections of Port Angeles, Wenatchee, Port Angeles and Blaine, WA. Klennert also has a 4 acre sculpture park on State Route 706 on the way to Mount Rainier, between Elbe and Ashford, that is open to the public.
The Percival Plinth exhibition will continued through spring 2012. The current exhibition can be viewed in person along Percival Landing from Bayview Thriftway to Budd Bay Café. In addition, artist biographies and contact information can be found at www.olympiawa.gov/plinth Following the exhibition, the loaned sculpture will return to the artists and King Salmon will move to West Bay Park for permanent installation. For more information, please contact Stephanie Johnson, Arts & Events Manager, at 360/709-2678.
