Tollefson Plaza

Tollefson Plaza is a plaza in Tacoma, Washington.

Tollefson Plaza
The plaza in 2023
The plaza in 2023
LocationTacoma, Washington, U.S.
Tollefson Plaza is located in Washington (state)
Tollefson Plaza
Tollefson Plaza
Coordinates: 47°14′52″N 122°26′16″W

Description

Shaun Peterson's sculpture Welcome Figure was installed in the plaza in September 2010.[1] The 24-foot tall cedar artwork depicts a standing Salish woman with her arms outstretched, welcoming others.[2] Isaac Peterson of 1899 magazine said, "The carving's simple geometry is refreshing, a true masterpiece of native woodcarving at the center of town instead of the usual elegiac bronze."[3]

The plaza has a Black Lives Matter mural; Dionne Bonner was lead artist of the project,[4][5][6] which received financial support from the city and the Tacoma Art Museum.[7] Installed in August 2022, the mural has been described as the Tacoma's first to commemorate the movement.[8]

History

Tollefson Plaza has hosted demonstrations and other events, and was used as a film site for stunt driving in 2015.[9] In 2020, the winter light art festival Tacoma Light Trail brought an interactive exhibit,[10] musicians, poets, and other performers to the plaza.[11] 2022 saw a Juneteenth celebration and an "anti-transgender" rally, which drew counterprotestors.[12][13][14]

The plaza has also hosted food trucks and an ice rink during the holiday season.[15][16][17]

References
  1. "Shaun Peterson's "Welcome Figure" Restoration Project". Tacoma Art Museum. 2021-08-25. Archived from the original on 2023-03-21. Retrieved 2023-05-28.
  2. Bunn-Marcuse, Kathryn (2013-05-24). "Seattle's Native American art reconnects with Salish tribes' traditions". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 2023-05-27. Retrieved 2023-05-28.
  3. "Washington Trip Planner: Tacoma". 1859 Oregon's Magazine. 2017-12-14. Archived from the original on 2023-03-26. Retrieved 2023-05-28.
  4. "BLM Mural Coming Soon to Tollefson Plaza". Tacoma Weekly. Retrieved 2023-05-28.
  5. "Black Lives Matter mural coming to Tacoma's Tollefson ..." The News Tribune. July 15, 2022.
  6. Gallup, Lauren (2022-10-13). "Tacoma unveils Black Lives Matter mural". Northwest Public Broadcasting. Archived from the original on 2023-03-22. Retrieved 2023-05-28.
  7. "Tacoma just pledged $10K for a Black Lives Matter mural downtown. It's money well spent". The News Tribune. July 29, 2021.
  8. "University of Puget Sound student advocates for Black voices | University of Puget Sound". www.pugetsound.edu. Archived from the original on 2023-03-29. Retrieved 2023-05-28.
  9. "Stunt driving, filming takes over downtown Tacoma". The News Tribune. September 28, 2015.
  10. "Tacoma Light Trail brings people together to brighten up the new year". KNKX Public Radio. 2021-12-30. Archived from the original on 2023-01-13. Retrieved 2023-05-28.
  11. "Tacoma Light Trail Shines Again". SouthSoundMag.com. 2022-01-04. Retrieved 2023-05-28.
  12. "City of Tacoma to hold Juneteenth celebration at Tollefson Plaza on Wednesday". The News Tribune. June 11, 2022.
  13. "Message from city of Tacoma's Juneteenth commemoration: 'Carry what you heard today'". The News Tribune. June 16, 2022.
  14. "Pepper spray, shouting as people clash at anti-transgender rally in Tacoma on Wednesday". The News Tribunes. October 28, 2022.
  15. "Summer food trucks to park at Tollefson Plaza in Tacoma". The News Tribune. May 9, 2022.
  16. "Ice rink moving from downtown Tacoma to Point Ruston. This could be its last season". The News Tribune. September 20, 2017.
  17. "Tacoma will move ice rink location". Daily Journal of Commerce. Archived from the original on 2019-03-20. Retrieved 2023-05-28.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.