Why Jets Kiss Above The New Capitol Hill Light Rail Platform

Two new light rail stations open Saturday: Husky Stadium and Capitol Hill.

One of the things riders may notice is the artwork.

Barbara Luecke, Sound Transit’s art director, showed KUOW's Joshua McNichols a sculpture at Capitol Hill Station called "Jet Kiss," by Mike Ross.

KUOW: "And it’s called 'Jet Kiss' because the jets are almost kissing in the air?"

Luecke: "Almost kissing right above the center of the waiting platform."

KUOW: "How does it make you feel?"

Luecke: "They have always given me an uplifting feeling; not only because they’re overhead, but because they seem to have really set the planes free to their true nature."

KUOW: "What is the true nature of planes?"

Luecke: "Well, I think if you look at an A4 that hasn’t been sliced into pieces, they’re very elegant forms in and of themselves, but they’re very stiff. But they’re great fliers, they’re very small maneuverable planes. But these seem like they could really soar. They could really take off and fly of their own accord and do whatever they wanted."

KUOW: "Well, planes, shoot people and do a lot of violence in the world, right?"

Luecke: "Well, planes don’t shoot people, the things that are attached to them and the commands that are given to planes may harm people, but they don’t have to. Those commands can be other things."

KUOW: "Like kiss? Kissing?"

Luecke: "Possibly. Yeah! Romance. Romance. Could be!"