Gertie’s Ghost

About This Project

Gertie’s Ghost — Tacoma, WA — 2013

Gertie’s Ghost Tacoma Gateway is a large-scale public sculpture commissioned by Sound Transit’s Percent for Art Program to commemorate a new commuter rail extension and transit overpass. Asite-specific public artwork, the piece welcomes visitors while reflecting the layered industrial and historical identity of the region.

Rising from the landscape in an organic formation, eight monumental octopus tentacles arc skyward—part infrastructure, part apparition. The sculpture draws from the structural language of railroad truss bridges while referencing the urban myth of the giant octopus said to inhabit the waters beneath the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. The result is a form that looks both engineered and alive, grounded in place yet charged with imagination.

In monumental scale, the work creates a dynamic threshold in the liminal spaces of city and transit. It suggests movement, transformation, and passage—echoing the rhythms of travel while inviting moments of curiosity and wonder.

Developed in collaboration with community stakeholders and civic partners, Gertie’s Ghost reflects a deep engagement with local history and identity. Local industrial workers with Sound Transit suggested the content of the work as well as its homage to classic truss rail bridges. Its presence transforms infrastructure into experience, turning an overlooked transit corridor into a memorable public landmark.

Engineered and fabricated by Engineered Artworks, the sculpture’s riveted Corten steel construction and biophilic form create a durable and expressive sculpture designed for long-term public engagement.

Materials: Riveted Corten steel, landscape elements
Dimensions: 12’ x 100’ x 50’
Commissioned by: Sound Transit Percent for Art Program
Lead Artist: Sean Orlando

Project Manager: David Shulman
Fabrication: Engineered Artworks
Transport & Installation: Artifact Logistics