Standing tall along Fourth Avenue Southwest is an eye-catching new addition to Burien’s rich tapestry of public art. This October, community members and those responsible for bringing the art to life gathered at the site of its installation, Burien Transit Center’s northwest corner, for a dedication ceremony.
The sculpture was initiated by 4Culture and King County Metro’s 2020 H Line Public Art Plan developed by artists Elisheba Johnson and Kristen Ramirez (working as Johnson|Ramirez).
The piece, entitled “Why We Have to Work”, was inspired by a Nigerian folktale. In the story “Why Men Have to Work,” the sky used to be so close to the earth that people could reach up and grab a piece to eat. Everyone had enough, and no one needed to work. When people started to get greedy and take more than they needed, the sky became angered by the disrespect and rose up high above the ground, out of reach. The sky told the remorseful people on the earth that it would still feed them, but they would have to learn to sow seeds, tend fields, and harvest their crops. They would have to learn to take only what they needed.
According to the artists, the mirrored steel of the sculpture is meant to remind viewers of their own relationship to the sky and nature. Johnson says that they want the artwork “to spark people’s imagination about the power of environmentalism and how we all have a part in global health.” The sculpture also references the area’s agricultural history and its evolution as a major link between Seattle and Tacoma.
The dedication ceremony took place on October 10, 2024, and featured remarks from King County Metro and 4Culture officials in addition to Burien poet Mercedes Garcia, Burien City Councilmember Alex Andrade, and artist Elisheba Johnson. Many of the speakers celebrated the memory of artist Kristin Ramirez, who passed away after the conceptual development of the sculpture was finalized.
The transit center may represent one end of someone’s travels on H Line, but the addition of this new interactive public art lets visitors know that it is also where their journey begins into exploring the wide array of diverse cultures, foods, traditions, and arts that makes our city so special.
