The sculpture, weighing in at six tons, was originally installed at Broadway and 13th Street, near the Sheraton Hotel. Thomas Morandi, the Oregon sculptor who created Sun King, endured criticism for his work. The sculpture was compared to “dinosaur droppings”, amongst other things. One newspaper headline the day after the installation read:
“Monstrosity? Masterpiece? It’s now ours - forever!”
After 30 years, in 2006, things got worse for Sun King. The Sheraton was upgrading, and the new owners requested that the work be removed, citing concerns that it didn’t fit the hotel’s new image. The city obliged, and the sculpture was moved to storage.
Now, Sun King is back out in the sunlight. In a new home at Dock and South 15th Street, Amy McBride, Tacoma Arts Administrator, says:
“I think it’s going to be really stunning in its new location. It’s a magnificent work of art, and I’m really looking forward to having the right space around it to actually enjoy it.”
The city has scheduled a dedication ceremony for June 25th to celebrate the new installation of the first major public art piece to be commissioned by Tacoma, decades before the city considered itself an “art town”.Get a Free Quote for Print