About the Artist
The intent of the artist, George Trakas, when creating Bayview Station was to create an interactive community art piece that honors Bellingham’s history and serves as a meeting point for students. Trakas was born in Quebec Canada in 1944 and attended Sir George Williams University in Montreal before moving to the United States. He then studied art history at New York University in 1969 and went on to be a professor at Yale University for 13 years.
In addition to his academic achievements, Trakas is also an environmental sculptor. His works often use locally-sourced and embrace the history or nature surrounding the site. Bayview Station does exactly that by incorporating distinctly Cascadian materials that seamlessly blend with the site. Another site-specific work of his, Route Source in Atlanta, Georgia, enhances the wooded area is resides in without disrupting the nature surrounding it.
Historical Context
The timeline of Trakas’ works spans from the 1970s to the 2000s and Bayview Station was created in 1987. The 1980s were an era of uncertainty in Washington state. The “Green River Killer” was making headlines only a few short years after Ted Bundy and Kenneth Bianchi’s notorious killing sprees ended; the latter’s claiming the lives of two Western Washington University students. Mount St. Helens caused the most destructive eruption in the history of the country. The largest mass murder in the history of the state took place in the Seattle’s Wah Mee Club. These tragedies all contributed to Trakas’ decision to make public art that connected people, specifically students, and fostered communication.
On a larger scale, Americans everywhere were increasingly concerned for the environment which sparked the sustainability movement. At the same time, consumer culture and materialism was rampant. This dichotomy also gives some insight as to why Trakas aspired to bring people together through his art during this period.
Our Interpretation
Watercolor painting of Bayview Station
Our group decided to capture a scene of Bayview Station on a sunny day using watercolors. The vibrant colors contrast the stark white of the planks and emphasize the importance of nature in relation to Trakas’ work.
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