Flume Installation

Has anyone ever told you about the ghosts of Seattle’s waterfront? Not the spooky kind, but the echoes of what once was. Here at the Flume Installation, those echoes whisper of longhouses and bustling Indigenous life, a stark contrast to the concrete jungle that overshadowed it for so long. The Flume Installation itself is a powerful statement. It stretches several blocks, from Columbia to Spring streets, a series of Douglas fir posts and beams reaching skyward, a skeletal reminder of traditional Coast Salish longhouses. This isn’t just art; it’s a reclamation. Where the Alaskan Way Viaduct once roared with traffic, now stands a testament to a vision of connection and remembrance. Oscar Tuazon, the lead artist, envisioned a “perpetual, infinite” process. He chose wood for its historical presence in both Indigenous and industrial Seattle. The Flume Installation embodies this duality, its very structure designed to be renewed and rebuilt, much like the cultural resurgence of the Coast Salish people. This year, two monumental cedar house posts will join the installation. One, carved by Randi Purser, depicts Sholeetsa, Chief Seattle’s mother cradling him as an infant. This post connects to another across the Puget Sound on Bainbridge Island, showing Chief Seattle’s father, Schweabe. It’s a family reunited in art, a powerful symbol of enduring connection in the face of change. Tuazon collaborated closely with the Muckleshoot and Suquamish tribes, ensuring that the Flume Installation wasn’t just an artistic interpretation, but a collaborative effort, a shared space for storytelling. And the story continues. Tuazon designed the installation to be a canvas for future artists. This is not a static piece, but an evolving one, mirroring the dynamism of Coast Salish culture. So next time you’re at the Seattle waterfront, take a moment to listen. Listen to the echoes of the past, the whispers of longhouses, and the powerful statement of the Flume Installation. This is more than just wood and beams. This is a living, breathing testament to a culture reborn.