| Out of the Blue | |
| Location: | Salt Lake City, Utah, United States |
| Type: | Sculpture |
Out of the Blue is a public art installation located at 900 S and 1100 E in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Located in the middle of a roundabout, the sculpture depicts the top-half of a humpback whale.[1] painted with multiple bright colors. The structure is locally referred to as "The 9th and 9th Whale". The sculpture was created with help from the Salt Lake City Public Arts Program.[2] According to the Salt Lake City Public Arts Program, the sculpture is " ...designed to complement and augment the unique and welcoming identity of the 9th and 9th area."
In 2018, Salt Lake City's Department of Transportation finished construction on a roundabout in the 9th and 9th neighborhood with mixed reception from community members. The middle of the roundabout was originally a simple wood chip-covered mound. Quickly after its completion, local community members began to decorate the roundabout with garden gnomes as a symbol of the community.[3]
In February 2021, the Salt Lake City Art Design Board approved the installation of the humpback whale sculpture, designed by local artist Stephen Kesler.[4] Many community members expressed frustration at the removal of the community-created gnome installation. However, construction of the sculpture continued.
In July 2021, a human-sized gnome with cheetah print boots was placed on the mound, holding the sign "Whales belong in the Ocean".[5]
Out of the Blue was originally unveiled on April 11, 2022. A small ribbon cutting ceremony was held to honor the occasion.[6] During the ceremony, current Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall said, "public art can be this lens for culture and to reflect on our values as a community."[7]
There were no protestors at the event, but two gnome statues were placed on either side of the ribbon.
In the year after the installation of the sculpture, its presence became a cult phenomenon in the area. Reddit users in the subreddit r/SaltLakeCity began to refer to the sculpture as the "Sacred Whale".[8] A satirical website for the religious organization "The Church of the Sacred Whale of Ninth and Ninth", sells merchandise related to the sculpture.[9] However, the original artist of the sculpture has denounced the website, citing concerns about the AI generated artwork and text present.
Residents of Salt Lake City have also created versions of the Utah State Flag depicting the whale in the middle instead of the traditional beehive. LGBTQ+ Pride flags featuring the whale can also be found around the area.[10]
In October 2023, four runners decided to run a marathon around the art installation.[11] Runners Wyn Barnett, Jackson Bradshaw, Evan Service and Caleb Leftwich ran a total of 632 laps around the whale, running a total of 26.2 miles total.
Since the original Whalathon, 26 people have completed a marathon around the sculpture.[12]
The whale sculpture itself consists of a steel skeleton, encased in fiberglass. Original designs for the sculpture would have made the sculpture nearly two stories tall, however the final sculpture is closer to 23 feet in height[13]
According to the Salt Lake City Arts Council, every 3–5 years a new artist or artist led team will be commissioned to repaint the whale to represent the ever-changing neighborhood.[14] Currently, Out of the Blue is painted with the mural Point of Reference by local artist Michael Murdock[15]
The current mural on Out of the Blue is titled "Point of Reference". It was painted by local artist Michael Murdock. Murdock worked at Caffé Expresso, a local coffee shop located on the roundabout where Out of the Blue was installed. The mural is inspired by the sunrises and sunsets experienced in the neighborhood.