Shaun Peterson's sculpture Welcome Figure was installed in the plaza in September 2010.[1] The 24-foot tall cedar artwork depicts a standing Salish woman with her arms outstretched, welcoming others.[2] Isaac Peterson of 1899 magazine said, "The carving's simple geometry is refreshing, a true masterpiece of native woodcarving at the center of town instead of the usual elegiac bronze."[3]
The plaza has a Black Lives Matter mural; Dionne Bonner was lead artist of the project,[4][5][6] which received financial support from the city and the Tacoma Art Museum.[7] Installed in August 2022, the mural has been described as the Tacoma's first to commemorate the movement.[8]
History
Tollefson Plaza has hosted demonstrations and other events, and was used as a film site for stunt driving in 2015.[9] In 2020, the winter light art festival Tacoma Light Trail brought an interactive exhibit,[10] musicians, poets, and other performers to the plaza.[11] 2022 saw a Juneteenth celebration and an "anti-transgender" rally, which drew counterprotestors.[12][13][14]
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