Biomass: Echoes of Nature in Seattle’s Urban Symphony
Biomass
Medium: Acrylic Paint
Size: 77 ft H x 106 ft W
Year: 2024
Location: Seattle, Washington
Project Manager: Aaron Asis, Seattle Office of Arts & Culture & Belltown United
Artist Assistants: LeLeita McKILL, Derek Wu / @mister_mural, Alexandra Nason, Brady Black
The vibrant city of Seattle, which unfolds like a whispered secret in the wind, contains the wild spirit—a strong, unbridled will that defies containment by the towering buildings that rise rebelliously from the ground. Underneath the cacophony of contemporary life, the city is a site where the old heartbeat of nature continues to beat. In my own little manner, I aimed to record, maintain, and enhance this place's memory of what once was with "Biomass." Despite moments when it appears like it's about to forget itself, it clings tenaciously to the memory of what was.
The piece, if I may use that term, is more of a dialogue between the natural and the artificial, the unprocessed and the processed, the constructed and the state-of-being. As if nature were to pick up a brush and insist on highlighting its own resiliency and beauty. Those energetic, pulsating hatch-lines that move over the canvas are more than just lines; they are the reverberations of ferns rustling in the chilly, wet air and the gentle swaying of tree shadows in a wind that seemed to bear the burden of ages. The skyline rises higher and higher, either challenging or maybe paying tribute to the old rhythms that still rule this land; each line is a gesture in this regard.
Seattle is a city that will always be on the brink of something, torn between its natural landscape of eden and its inevitable metropolitan future. There's a hint of sadness there, a longing that lingers like fog over the Sound, but there's also a strong sense of pride, a will to preserve what little of the original, untouched beauty there is. The intention I had in creating "Biomass" was to reflect that tension, to record it, to put it in time capsule form, so that others might think about it, admire it, and maybe even have a sense of uneasiness against the artificial skyline of present time.
Still, there's energy here, a determination that life will emerge somehow. After all, the Pacific Northwest is known for its resiliency. In this region, nature often takes back what it has lost, and humans encounter a subtle but persistent opposition whenever they try to control the terrain. Everything from the ferns and trees to the animals that call this area home is more than simply a plot point; they're characters in their own right, playing an essential role in the struggle between nature and civilization.
My conscious mind was overridden by something more primal and ancient as I painted, and I sank into the negotiation, becoming an integral part of it. The purposeful and intuitive hatch-lines that run across the canvas symbolize the dichotomy that distinguishes this location. The markings of a mind that is enchanted by the order of city planning and enchanted by nature's disorder, a mind that finds beauty in both worlds but finds it difficult to find a way to reconcile them.
However, "Biomass" is more than just a piece of art. In addition to being a love letter, it poses questions, issues challenges, and invites readers to contemplate what our lives may be like if we took the time to observe and comprehend the world around us. The city, with all its modernity and advancement, is fundamentally tied to something bigger, older, and more powerful than itself; this is something to keep in mind. Additionally, it is an invitation to value that connection, cultivate it, and allow it to guide and inspire our construction, life, and dreaming.
More than simply Seattle is included in "Biomass" in the end. Alluding to the manner in which both humans and the environment influence one another, it explores the interplay between the two. In it, we ruminate on the delicate nature of that bond and the need of finding a middle ground if we want to live in harmony with nature. Additionally, it is primarily a joyous commemoration of the ability of art to record, mirror, alter, and bring back to life the things that really important to us.
An extended and heart-filled ‘Thank You’ to Belltown United, Aaron Asis, both the staff and residents of Sound Generations, and all the Artists and Participants of Belltown Mural Neighborhood Project.
