SEATTLE — On a bright afternoon, visitors gather beneath Johnathan Borofsky’s “Hammering Man” (1991), a towering kinetic sculpture symbolizing the working class, at the Seattle Art Museum (SAM). Recently reopened in March, the museum offers a cultural retreat for those weary from the pandemic.
As the sculpture’s hammer moves rhythmically, guests are guided to SAM’s main entrance by a sign, while nearby, two sand-colored stone bollards, largely unnoticed, sit with cigarette stubs scattered around. These seemingly neutral objects have sparked significant controversy among museum staff.
Installed in June 2021, along with the hiring of private security, the bollards are part of a contentious effort to discourage unhoused individuals from gathering near the museum. A group of anonymous workers, known as Decolonize SAM, is now advocating for a boycott, demanding the removal of these structures and the cessation of policies they argue harm the unhoused community.
Amid these tensions, security personnel express concern for Sheronda, an unhoused woman who has long frequented the area. “At the beginning of the year, she had a tent,” a guard and Decolonize SAM member shared, highlighting the complex feelings of care and conflict among staff.
Seattle grapples with a significant housing crisis, exacerbated by a 50% increase in tents since the pandemic began. This issue has been pivotal in recent elections, influencing the city’s shift towards candidates advocating stricter laws and more encampment sweeps.
In June, SAM Director Amada Cruz addressed the new security measures in an email, citing recent incidents causing stress and danger to staff. Despite efforts to engage with the community, many offers of help have been declined, leading to the engagement of external security personnel.
Decolonize SAM criticizes these policies as criminalizing homelessness and calls for more community-focused interventions. They urge SAM to work with organizations specializing in supporting the unhoused, rather than increasing security presence that may escalate tensions.
Following an incident involving the misconduct of hired guards, SAM terminated its contract with Star Protection Agency. However, the museum remains committed to enhancing safety while forming a Special Advisory Task Force on Homelessness to collaborate with local organizations.
As SAM navigates these challenges, questions arise about whether the museum’s commitment to social justice in its art should extend beyond its walls. Decolonize SAM argues that institutions benefiting from marginalized communities’ histories have a duty to engage meaningfully with all community members.
