Ripple Affect

The City of Tukwila is rich in diversity and culture, so it’s fitting that its public art should reflect a global influence. Ripple Affect, a sculpture outside The Sullivan Community Center, takes its inspiration from a common thread that connects communities across the globe. The sculpture portrays an 8 ft. tall female figure encased in water vessel made of bronze wire. She holds a vessel on her head, which collects rainwater from the roof of the building.

“A woman carrying a water vessel on her head is found on every content,” writes artist Mary Coss on her website. “It is this universal imagery that is abstracted and at the core of this artwork.”

Look closely and you’ll see that the both the water vessel and the rain chain are made of cursive writing. These are proverbs that tell the story of culture and water. In the evening, the blue figure glows, illuminated by a light within, and the bronze letters cast shadows on the pavement.

About the Artist:
Mary Coss is a Seattle-based interdisciplinary artist known for large-scale sculptures and multimedia installations that explore culture, identity, and social justice through allegory. Born in Detroit, she holds an MFA from Syracuse University’s Experimental Studios—a hybrid sculpture and media program—with a minor in sociology, shaping her socially engaged, research-driven practice. (Source:MaryCoss.com)