UPDATE W/PHOTOS: Public art dedication Oct. 15 along Thea Foss Esplanade

The City of Tacoma and the Foss Waterway Development Authority will hold a dedication ceremony in October to mark the addition of a new piece of public art along the Thea Foss Esplanade in downtown Tacoma.

Floating Life Forms (design illustrations below) by Tacoma artist Ed Kroupa consists of a series of six bronze spheres depicting stylized, intertwined lifeforms native to the Puget Sound, including octopus, harbor seals, and sea stars, according to City of Tacoma officials. The work was commissioned by the Tacoma Arts Commission’s Public Art: In Depth program, which trains established local artists to create public art.

“Floating Life Forms speaks to our interdependence with aquatic life and healthy ecosystems, and encourages public interaction,” said Foss Waterway Development Authority Executive Director Su Dowie. “It will be a stunning addition to the public esplanade.”

The Thea Foss Esplanade is a linear public space and park that lines the west edge of Thea Foss Waterway. Floating Life Forms will be the newest in a series of public artworks that span the walkway.

The artwork is scheduled to be installed on Mon., Oct. 5. The dedication ceremony will be held on Thurs., Oct. 15, between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m., on the Thea Foss Esplanade, located at 1515 Dock St. (behind The Esplanade condominiums).

UPDATE | TUES., OCT. 6 @ 5:45 P.M. — Tacoma Daily Index editor Todd Matthews visited the Thea Foss Esplanade this afternoon to photograph the new art installation: