Sculptor Haiying Wu to create Billy Frank Jr. statue at SPSCC

Sculptor Haiying Wu will craft the full-scale statues of Nisqually activist Billy Frank Jr. at the South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC), according to the college, ArtsWA, and the Nisqually Tribe.

Wu participated in unveiling the four-foot-tall model of the statue at a ceremony in the Legislative Building on the Washington State Capitol campus on January 10, 2023.  One full-size statue will find its home in Washington, D.C., at the National Statuary Hall, with a twin to be placed in the Legislative Building. 

Starting this month, Wu will embark on the estimated four-month project, setting up his workspace at SPSCC’s Scene Shop within the Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts.

The public will be able to observe and engage with Wu's creative process during this time.

Willie Frank III, Chairman of the Nisqually Tribe and son of Billy Frank Jr., expressed his enthusiasm for the project, highlighting his father's commitment to education and community involvement.

“My father always encouraged educational opportunities for all and participated on college boards,” said Frank III.

Frank III emphasized the importance of making Nisqually history accessible to all, echoing his father's vision.

Following the completion of the 9-foot model, it will undergo bronze casting before finding its place in both Statuary Hall in Washington, D.C., and the Olympia Capitol in 2025.

Wu's design was selected in January 2023 by the Statuary Hall Selection Committee, which captured Billy Frank Jr.’s warmth, posing on a log by the river and the salmon, capturing the essence of Billy Frank Jr.'s legacy.

Representative Debra Lekanoff (D-40th) introduced House Bill 1372 in 2021, advocating for replacing Marcus Whitman's statue with that of Billy Frank Jr.

This decision reflects Washington State's recognition of Frank Jr.'s impact on the region's history and culture, advocating for tribal treaty rights, and his influence on the Boldt Decision, revolutionizing indigenous rights.

The schedule for public access to Wu's workspace at SPSCC will be announced soon.

For more information about the Billy Frank Jr. Statue Project, visit the ArtsWA website.