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Arts Commission votes to deaccession 'Night Blooming' at Bellevue Botanical Garden
Summary
The Arts Commission unanimously voted to deaccession the public artwork “Night Blooming,” citing extensive deterioration and public-safety concerns; staff will remove the sculpture this year and explore future uses for its engineered foundation.
Scott McDonald, the city’s public art specialist, told the Arts Commission that staff were recommending deaccessioning “Night Blooming” from Bellevue’s public art collection because of extensive timber deterioration and safety concerns. "So we are, with regret, recommending to deaccession, specifically because of that deterioration being extremely hard to identify," McDonald said, and added that the city will remove the work from public view this year regardless of the commission's formal vote.
McDonald described the artwork’s history — a 2018 donation by two Washington State University faculty, constructed from local spruce and sited at the Bellevue Botanical Garden — and said the city invested roughly $50,000 in an engineered foundation for the piece. Commissioners asked about alternatives such as charring wood to extend life, reuse of materials, and a goodbye ceremony; staff said most of the timber is likely too degraded to salvage. A motion to deaccession, moved by a commissioner and seconded, carried unanimously. Staff said they will procure a contractor to remove the sculpture and will explore options for the foundation’s future use.
