SEATTLE — The disappearance of the viral ‘Hot Rat Summer’ mosaic has ignited a heated debate in Cal Anderson Park, coinciding with the city’s recent implementation of a graffiti fine law.
The artwork, which depicted a sunbathing rodent on a city-owned utility building, captured the hearts of many Seattleites, gaining widespread attention online. Some residents viewed it as a celebration of trans identity, elevating its significance within the community.
Remington Michelle Stone, a newcomer to Seattle from Los Angeles, expressed her dismay over the artwork’s removal. “I can’t believe it’s not there anymore,” Stone said. “Public feedback is important because when you cover up something like that, that obviously had a lot of meaning to a lot of people.”
Caught amidst the city’s new graffiti fine law, which imposes penalties of up to $1,500 for unauthorized tagging, the mosaic has become a symbol of the struggle between creative expression and municipal regulations. Individual supporters, including one dressed as “Saint Rat,” voiced their discontent during a recent Seattle City Council meeting, celebrating the unexpected community tributes that appeared around the artwork.
“The city kept coming out and painting over me, and then people would bring me offerings, and I wasn’t even there,” Saint Rat commented on the phenomenon that surrounded the artwork.
Seattle’s Director of Graffiti Programs and Initiatives, Paul Jackson, reiterated that while the rat mosaic may have gained a following, it was unauthorized. “It’s a city building that is owned by Seattle Public Utilities. It’s in a Seattle park,” Jackson stated. “It’s a city-owned asset. It’s just like a bridge. It’s just like anything else on the sidewalk. It belongs to the city, who has to maintain and manage it.”
Jackson shared that city crews were initially instructed not to remove the mural, as efforts were made to locate the artist behind the work. “We gave direction not to abate it. We were looking for the artist so we can try to have an agreement. We have not been successful in that,” he explained on Wednesday.
However, community members took matters into their own hands, with Councilmember Joy Hollingsworth herself aiding in uncovering the obscured artwork. Hollingsworth emphasized the importance of arts in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, noting it is necessary to support artists who contribute to the community, distinguishing them from conventional tagging.
“Capitol Hill is a phenomenal neighborhood full of artists that we want to continue to elevate,” Hollingsworth said. “That’s why it’s important. Not tagging. It’s not that type of artist.”
Jackson outlined a potential pathway for murals to gain city approval. He explained, “We support agreed-upon art. And what that means is, we work with an artist. They provide us with an idea and then a concept. We make sure it fits within the community. And then we have what we call a memorandum of agreement. Everybody knows who’s responsible for it. The artist would be responsible for maintaining it, and we go from there.”
Efforts are underway for city officials to connect with the anonymous artist responsible for the mosaic, potentially to encourage the creation of additional artwork. Jackson stated that employees are actively seeking out the artist and have provided a means for contact through the One Seattle Graffiti Plan website, where a “sign up to paint” link is available.
The city is also collaborating with Nathan Everett, a prominent Seattle artist known as “Saya,” who acts as a graffiti coordinator to facilitate this connection.
image source from：king5
