Mendenhall, 2021

Peter Reiquam & Esther Reiquam

Nuclear industrial fan blade (fiberglass), acrylic enamel, wood, epoxy resin, found casters, acrylic sweater, pewter zipper pull

Currently on public display until September 11, 2025

at Woolworth’s Window Art Installations, Spaceworks Tacoma

11th & Commerce St., Tacoma, Washington (visible from street)

Available for purchase, please inquire.

Artist Statement

Concern for the environment has been uppermost in our minds for decades, but in 2014, in Juneau, Alaska, we witnessed a stark example of the effects of global warming and what that means for the future of our planet.

We met several local folks who grew up in Juneau and have lived there all their lives who took us to see the Mendenhall Glacier. As we stood at the edge of Mendenhall Lake, looking out across the icy water, they described how, when they were kids (they’re in their 80s now), the leading edge of the glacier had reached to where we were standing. Today, it is more than a mile away.

“Mendenhall” is our first collaboration and it merges our shared passion for environmental issues with our individual artist voices. Peter painted the fiberglass blade to resemble an iceberg and Esther knitted a giant sweater for it using a traditional Nordic pattern. The woolen sweater provides a metaphorical thermal insulation for the melting iceberg and hints at the new extremes of weather the Earth is experiencing as a direct result of climate change.

The sculpture’s wheeled base is made of wood in the shape of Mendenhall Lake, a visual representation of the place that inspired the sculpture’s narrative.

About the Artist

Seattle-based artist Peter Reiquam creates imaginative and interactive sculptures for public spaces. He states, "I strive to create durable, well-crafted and meaningful works that speak to the uniqueness of each site and to do so with a balance of humor, elegance and sophistication."

Reiquam earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Washington in Seattle and a Master of Fine Arts degree in sculpture from Yale University in Connecticut. He served for six years on the King County Public Art Commission and has taught extensively throughout his career.

Mendenhall is the first collaboration between Peter and Esther Reiquam.

Spaceworks Tacoma Woolworth’s Window Art Installations (11th & Commerce St., Tacoma, WA)

Visible 24/7 from the street until September 11, 2025