"Memory Fragments" by Dan Webb

As a result of the Town Square Art Master Plan, artist Dan Webb was asked to create “memory fragment” artworks that would be placed on top of the plinths which would be located next to the entrances of Burien’s Town Square Park.

After learning more about Burien and its residents, Webb realized that the concept of ‘memory’ ends up being more of a personal thing. For example, a memory for one group of people may have no context to another group. As a result, he took a broad interpretation of what ‘memory’ could be.

While studying Burien, Webb felt that the one theme that kept reappearing was that most residents have taken some type of journey to arrive here. Immigrants arrived here to create the community, and still arrive today. And Burien continues to reinvent itself. Webb recognized the theme of people coming and going, people moving in and out, and all the different roads that have led people to Burien.

Consequently, Webb designed his artwork to have a universal language for all people, regardless of their origin. The theme of a ‘journey’ is something that could be universally understood. And every person who ends up viewing the artwork, regardless of their background, will have had a personal ‘travel’ experience.

With that concept, Webb proceeded to create something visually familiar that could take a different twist. While creating something that lots of people can relate to, he still wanted the concept to serve as a quick way to connect with someone’s intelligence, have a sense of humor, and take an animated approach on the theme of the journey and travel.

• The artist focused on ideas of memory and journey in these sculptures. Find all the sculptures and talk about what type of memories or journeys these could be about. If you could add a sculpture what journey in your memory would make a great sculpture?