That’s Paragon, the 20+-year-old bones-of-a-boat sculpture at həʔapus Village Park and Shoreline Habitat on the Duwamish River in West Seattle. On Sunday night, we reported on the request for community support, from its artist Don Fels. He had contacted us to sound the alarm that after years of neglect, the city Office of Arts and Culture is now contemplating demolishing it because of deterioration, and he asked for notes of support before a scheduled Tuesday meeting with an A&C rep. Fels has since updated us – while also taking issue with a city statement that we added Tuesday morning to the original story, saying that “Seattle’s rainy climate (and) the passage of time” are largely to blame for the sculpture’s condition:

That is blatantly untrue. The City paid an engineer to examine the sculpture in light of the current debacle, and in his report he very clearly states that if there had been a maintenance plan, and had it been followed, the boat would have lasted many more years.

The directors are disregarding that information, just as for years they disregarded the advice of their own conservator. I have a file of emails, going back several years, saying that she knew the boat needed pressure washing and recoating and intended to get right on it. Then each time, she followed those emails apologizing for not doing so, saying that she was told not to. I understand that the city has many artworks in their care. But as Chuck Graydon, a master boatbuilder in Tacoma, who built the wooden structure, and knows how wooden boats fare in our climate, said in a recent letter to the City, “The city of Seattle assured us, when the sculpture was installed, that they would maintain the structure. Looks like that didn’t happen.”

I am greatly buoyed by the support I have received by West Seattle residents, other artists in the area, and by several important regional entities including the Duwamish Tribe. I am confident that working together, the City and I can find a way forward that will result in a renewed Paragon, and its rebuilding will include significant community participation. But the process is not furthered by the city spinning untruths. I have worked a lifetime as an artist and as a person trying to do the right thing. I would expect the city would be doing the same.

We’re following up with Arts & Culture regarding both Paragon’s maintenance history and what happens next. Fels, meantime, says letters of support are still valuable – email kelly.davidson@seattle.gov and cc him at donatofels@gmail.com.