Seeking to Mark the Unmarked

Collaborative American artists Frances Nelson and Bradly Gunn created the installation ‘thresholds’, an acknowledgment to the final resting place of Kent’s founding pioneers. Located in the historic Saar Pioneer Cemetery in Kent, a suburb in Seattle Washington, there are approximately 200 burial sites, 89 of which have no existing head stones. Burial remains from 1873 through 1949 include many infants, some suicides, a murder victim, as well as deaths from childbirth, drowning, disease, and old age. The unmarked graves are unable to inform visitors of their presence and give no indication to the public of the role they played in shaping Kent’s history. Hoping to change this, people can walk through the sculptural piece, giving them a chance to reflect and remember those who have gone before.

Composed of 89 frames and constructed from 1x4s and plywood panels, the project explores the use of simple, straightforward materials in conjunction with manual and digital fabrication techniques. Using a CNC router, the plywood panels (approximately 9 x 24 inches) are constructed as both skin and structure – with 18 different patterned panels deriving from contours of the site. The frames are spaced 1 foot apart, with the top of each threshold remaining completely level. as a result, the installation responds to the cemetery’s topography. As one moves through the installation, the ground starts to rise, compressing the height of the interior until an expansive of headstones comes into view beyond. Thresholds is generously supported by 4culture’s site specific program and the University of Washington College’s built environment’s digital fabrication lab, with additional support from McLendon Hardware, Dunn Lumber and Miller paint co.

AWARDS:

2013 - AIA Seattle Honor Awards, Honorable Mention