Seattle’s Second Avenue gets a pair of big sculptures

July 17, 2021 at 4:29 pm Updated July 19, 2021 at 7:43 am

Don’t look now, but it’s liftoff for Fernando Botero’s sculpture “Adam” as it’s installed at the corner of Second Avenue and Madison Street. Shawn Dawley with NessCampbell Crane + Rigging signals the crane operator. “Adam,” a 1996 sculpture, is estimated to weigh about 1,600 pounds. It’ll stand at the former Federal Reserve Building, now a Martin Selig property.
Botero is a Colombian artist known for his large figures and forms. Also installed one block north on Saturday was Catherine Mayer’s “What Goes Up Must Come Down,” a giant paddleball at the corner of Second Avenue and Spring Street. (Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

Denise Bisio, co-owner of ArtSite, the installer, checks Fernando Botero’s “Adam” as it is placed at Second Avenue and Madison Street at the former Federal Reserve Building, now a Martin Selig property. (Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

The more than 12-foot “Adam” by Fernando Botero is slowly lowered to its base at the corner of Second Avenue and Madison Street. It’s estimated to weigh 1,600 pounds and ArtSite is the installer. (Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

“Adam” will survey the corner at the former Federal Reserve Building, now a Martin Selig property. It’s by noted Colombian artist Fernando Botero. (Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

Phil Roach with ArtSite releases the ball and string of Catherine Mayer’s sculpture “What Goes Up Must Come Down” as this part is lifted into place at the corner of Second Avenue and Spring Street. It’s a giant paddleball sculpture of fiberglass with an internal steel framework. (Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

Shawn Dawley with NessCampbell Crane + Rigging signals for the lift of the giant hand to begin installation of Catherine Mayer’s sculpture titled “What Goes Up Must Come Down.” It’s an oversize paddleball installed at the corner of Second Avenue and Spring Street rising about 42 feet. (Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

Roger Waterhouse, co-owner of ArtSite, has to be a contortionist to bolt the base of “What Goes Up Must Come Down” into place at the corner of Second Avenue and Spring Street. Catherine Mayer is the artist. (Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

Roger Waterhouse moves the baseplate of the ball and string into place to bolt it to the paddle. He’s co-owner of ArtSite, the installer. (Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

The giant paddleball titled “What Goes Up Must Come Down” is about 42 feet tall and made of fiberglass with a steel framework. (Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

Standing more than 12 feet tall, Fernando Botero’s “Adam” was relocated from Fourth Avenue near Blanchard on another Martin Selig property. The sculpture was created in 1996. (Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

By

Alan Berner

Seattle Times staff photographer

Alan Berner

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