October 1, 2015 – January 16, 2016
January 17 – February 27, 2016
Local artist and former Guggenheim fellow Rick Araluce hand-built a large replica of Seattle’s Great Northern train tunnel inside MadArt Studio. When the real tunnel opened in Pioneer Square in 1905, it was the highest and widest in the U.S.
Rick’s version was half-scale, filling MadArt’s studio and immersing visitors in a multi-sensory experience. Using forced perspective and the subtle light and sound of an oncoming train, he created an unexpected illusion of mystery and suspense.
As a practicing artist, Araluce has worked for many years in the realm of miniatures, though his former position as lead scenic artist for the Seattle Opera also allowed him to create on a larger scale. Araluce’s captivating sculptures and installations often emphasize themes of nostalgia, emptiness, tension, darkness, suspense, and hidden narrative.
Rick Araluce Sets You at the Mouth of the Unfathomable Great Northern Tunnel
The Stranger
February 9, 2016
One artist’s wondrous tunnel vision, another’s aural sights
The Seattle Times
February 3, 2016
Nancy Guppy's weekend picks for art lovers
King 5
February 4, 2016
CityArts Magazine
January 26, 2016
Finding the heat in South Lake Union, Seattle's coolest neighborhood
The News Tribune
January 23, 2016
No Bertha required for Great Northern Tunnel replica
The Seattle Times
January 22, 2016
Rick Araluce's "The Great Northern" Opens January 17 at MadArt
Vanguard Seattle
January 4, 2016
CityArtist Program: 30 Artists Granted Funding for 2016
Vanguard Seattle
November 19, 2015
View a Replica of the Great Northern Train Tunnel
Seattle Magazine
October 1, 2015