Teaching the public how to treat art park

Forgive Quentin Chi for wanting to sit on "Wandering Rocks," an arrangement of black steel shapes at Seattle's new Olympic Sculpture Park.

Chi, 8, said the sculptures "look sort of like toys" and "made me feel jumpy" and "like I want to climb on them."

Since the $85 million park opened to the general public on Jan. 20, the Seattle Art Museum says about 86,000 visitors have passed through the nine-acre park to view its more than 20 major pieces.

In the opening weekend, some tried to touch the exhibits, and on the rusted surface of one hulking piece, "Wake," a few went so far as to trace out names like "Vito," "Cameron" and "Mom."

With some exceptions, park rules prohibit touching or climbing on the exhibits.

The art museum said that on the afternoon of opening day, it put up signs next to "Wake," a series of 14-foot-high steel plates by artist Richard Serra, asking visitors not to touch. Some marks are still visible despite power-washings.

"Please help the art survive," the signs read. Similar signs already had been posted next to Tony Smith's "Stinger," a steel squarelike structure painted black.

Security guards roaming the park on bicycles and volunteers were told to remind visitors not to lean on certain artworks.

"We weren't so naïve in thinking people weren't going to touch the art," said Cara Egan, a museum spokeswoman.

She emphasized that, overall, the waterfront park is in great shape in spite of the larger than expected crowds. "We're trying our best to protect the art so it'll look great for years and years."

Dave Johnson, 49, a Belltown resident, was jogging past the sculpture that first weekend and was shocked to find a heart symbol drawn on it.

"It put a sick feeling in my stomach," Johnson said. "Hopefully there's going to be some educating here."

Some visitors were skeptical.

"Those signs are not going to do anything," said Jason Lewing, 31, as he walked past the sculpture.

Perhaps adding to the confusion is that it is OK to touch at least some of the pieces: Louise Bourgeois' "Eye Benches," Roy McMakin's "Love & Loss" and "Bench," Teresita Fernandez's "Seattle Cloud Cover," Mark Dion's "Neukom Vivarium" and Pedro Reyes' "Capula."

Egan said Monday afternoon that signs would be posted making it clear that visitors can touch these works.

When it comes to public art, it may be hard for the average person to distinguish between works that can be climbed on and those that can't, said Sarah Clark-Langager, director of the Western Gallery and curator of the outdoor-sculpture collection at Western Washington University in Bellingham.

There are two purposes at odds, she said: People naturally try to understand sculpture by touching it, but the public also needs to enforce a respect for property, discouraging harmful behavior.

"Over time, the park in Seattle will benefit from the museum's educational programs," she said.

Sanjay Bhatt: 206-464-3103 or sbhatt@seattletimes.com