Kristina Hagman

I have had a love bordering on fanaticism of the columns and curves that make up Seattle’s urban freeways.  They are full of rhythm and strength. In the twilight, the eye turns them into ribbons of undulating color, and a rainy day brings out slick silver, shimmering gray beauty to an overpass. There are as many ways to paint them as Monet painted Rouen Cathedral in its various atmospheres.The freeways are akin to Greek temples with their columns and lintels, but with the amazing exception of the curve.  Advanced construction materials have given these modern temples the gift of feminine elemental turns -- curves that catch light and bring lyricism to an otherwise stoic monument. The work in these slides represents a series of paintings of the urban landscape around and under the freeways of Seattle. The subjects are located in the Foster Island; Portage Bay and others mass transit areas. These areas are amazing example of the beauty of the natural environment successfully intertwined with the utilitarian transport system’s monolithic structures.  In and around these structures People bath and enjoy nature while being in the hart of the city.  It still is unusual to see artwork that represents the urban environment in a joyous way. I vision our city Joyously.

Photo credits:
Dirk Park