This is but one of eleven “Hammering Man” kinetic sculptures scattered about the globe.
Designed by artist Jonathan Borofsky, this particular sculpture was installed in front of
the newly created Seattle Art Museum in1991, and is supposed to celebrate “The
Worker”, although, from this angle, it’s hard not to see this swinging behemoth as being
anything but some sort of oppressor. As in, “Are we celebrating the worker here,… or
just getting hammered by the man?”
On Labor Day, September 6, 1993, Jason Sprinkle and a group of local Seattle artists
caused a stir by attaching an unauthorized 700-pound ball and chain around the foot of
Hammering Man. It was removed by the Seattle Engineering Dept. on Sept. 8 th .
