Flying Sails

Flying Sails (2010), located at the SeaTac/Airport Light Rail Station, features two monumental stainless-steel sculptures that merge movement, light, and meaning. Suspended between the escalators, the kinetic “sails” respond to the gusts created by passing trains, their motion reflecting the constant flow of travel and transformation. The northern sail bears the engraved names of Washington’s First Nation tribes, while the southern sail lists global cities aligned with Seattle’s latitude and longitude—connecting local heritage to a broader world geography. Through this interplay of air, light, and engraved memory, Flying Sails serves as both a poetic landmark and a dynamic tribute to Seattle’s position within a living, ever-changing landscape.

About the Artist:
Werner Klotz (American-born in Germany) is an installation and public artist known for site-specific, interactive works using light, sound, and motion. His major projects include Le Milieu du Monde on New York’s Staten Island Ferries, Anemone at San Francisco International Airport, and Flying Sails at Seattle’s SeaTac Airport. A recipient of top art awards in the U.S. and Germany, Klotz lives and works in Berlin and New York. (Source: Artist Website).