If you look to your left, right outside the glass-walled Allen Institute building at the corner of Mercer Street and 9th Avenue North, you’ll spot two large white figures sitting quietly face-to-face, their bodies made out of a swirling mesh of letters.
Standing in front of Mirall feels a bit like stumbling into a secret meeting between old friends who speak in silent riddles. Made by the artist Jaume Plensa, this sculpture isn’t just a pair of giant seated figures-they’re woven from the alphabet soup of eight different languages! Peer closely and you’ll find Arabic curves, Greek twists, Chinese brushstrokes, Hindu dots, Hebrew lines, Japanese brush flips, the stately Roman alphabet, and even Russian Cyrillic. It’s almost as if language itself got tired of being spoken and decided to take a seat right here in South Lake Union. Isn’t it wild to think these two are always mid-conversation, but you’ll never hear a sound? It’s a silent banter where every word is written but never spoken-sort of like texting under a strict librarian’s watch. Imagine all the stories-love letters, scientific ideas, jokes about Seattle rain-they might spell out if only they came to life for a minute! Take in the gleaming stainless steel, reflecting both the city’s energy and the soft gray skies above, and just for a second, wonder what you might say if you could join their mysterious, everlasting chat.
