Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Art topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Classic Foundry chosen to cast Billy Frank Jr. statue; family and artist mark milestone at Wahoo Indian School
Summary
At a Nov. 13 press event at the Wahoo Indian School, family members, the Washington State Arts Commission and artist Hai Ying Wu announced Classic Foundry will cast a Billy Frank Jr. statue destined for the U.S. Capitol; speakers described the statue as a tribute to treaty rights and stewardship.
Classic Foundry has been selected to cast a statue of Billy Frank Jr. for the U.S. Capitol, project partners announced Thursday at a press event at the Wahoo Indian School at Frank's Landing.
"He was arrested over 50 times in his life for exercising a right that was a reserved right," said Willie Frank III, the son of Billy Frank Jr., recounting his father's role in tribal fishing rights and the Treaty of Medicine Creek. Willie Frank III spoke about his father's commitment to environmental stewardship and the significance of memorializing that legacy in bronze.
Mike Sweeney, program manager for Art in Public Places with the Washington State Arts Commission, said the commission was proud to partner on the project and praised the foundry chosen to complete the work. "We are grateful to entrust the stage of the project to John and the team at the Classic Foundry, whose expertise and craftsmanship will help bring this powerful tribute to completion," Sweeney said.
Artist Hai Ying Wu described the multi-year process of enlarging his initial model and preparing it for casting. "Looking back, the start of this project in 2023 — it's been two years or perhaps two and a half years — from the 12-inch 3D model to the 4-foot scale model," Wu said, thanking South Puget Sound Community College for studio support and expressing confidence in Classic Foundry's ability to complete the bronze casting.
Event organizers said the announcement marks a major production milestone but did not record a formal vote or contract signing at the event. Attendees were invited afterward to refreshments and photographs.
Why it matters: Billy Frank Jr. was a central figure in Pacific Northwest tribal fishing rights; the planned statue is intended both as a personal tribute and as a public reminder of treaty-protected rights and environmental stewardship. The project brings together tribal representatives, a state arts program and an out-of-state foundry to complete a work that organizers say will be viewed by visitors to the U.S. Capitol for generations.
Next steps: Organizers and the artist said the project will move into final foundry casting and finishing. No timetable for installation in the Capitol was provided at the event.
