(Image: CHS)
A new Henry mural has appeared on Capitol Hill. Prolific Seattle artist Ryan Henry Ward painted this lion on the western side of the 615 E Pike condo building. According to his social media post, he’s referring to the work as his “Welcome to the Jungle” mural.
The watchful lion looks out onto E Pike. He might remind you of the prideful beast that graces The Iliad apartments above Summit. The wall where the new work appears is a frequent canvas for artists. Enjoy it while it lasts — the old garage to the west of the building is slated for a six-story development that will eventually cover up the space.
Meanwhile, the summer of 2015 brought a new selection of large-scale art to Capitol Hill highlighted by the giant “Read Up, Hands Down” work from muralist Erik T Burke and Urban Artworks on the Richmark Label factory at 12th and Pine.
You can find Henry murals in neighborhoods across the city. His fish swim along the walls near E Mercer’s Lowell Elementary where a CHS Community poster found the artist putting on the fishing finishing touches back in 2008.
You have got to be kidding.
To gaze upon this lackluster doodle is to experience first-hand the loss of what could have been. A mere four blocks away one can take in the grandeur, beauty, and power of actual artist’s work: the giant wall by NKO, the ever-changing pieces that grace the side of NEUMOS, or the block-long mural that recently went up at 12th & Pine. All of these embody the true spirit, character, and vibrancy of this all too quickly changing neighborhood.
It saddens me deeply to see such a blatant failed attempt blighting our neighborhood. As a local I never thought I would say this; but I cannot wait for the, no doubt terrible, future development to come and cover that uninspired skidmark up.
-Ryan ‘Henry’ Ward: do us all a favor and please stop turning our city into your Sunday Painter shitscape.-
I believe we have identified a suspect http://www.capitolhillseattle.com/2015/09/muralist-victim-in-capitol-hill-art-heist/