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Artist Haiying Wu’s final statue will be cast in bronze and installed at the National Statuary Hall in 2025.

Kennewick, WA – DS Watkins Gallery will host a clay model of Indigenous leader and activist Billy Frank Jr. from Sept. 19th- Sept. 21st. The clay model, also known as a “maquette” , was made by renowned Chinese American sculptor Haiying Wu as he developed his vision for a statue of the late Nisqually leader. Wu will develop this model into an 11-foot tall clay statue which will be cast in bronze before installation at the National Statuary Hall in Washington, D.C. The model’s tenure at the DS Watkins Gallery represents a special opportunity for the public to see Wu’s craftsmanship up close and experience history in the making.

Billy Frank Jr., born on March 9, 1931, was a Nisqually tribal member. He fought tirelessly to ensure that the United States government would honor the promises made in the treaties with Washington tribes. His unwavering commitment to the fight against racism and abuse has had global influence. In 2015, he was posthumously
awarded the presidential medal of freedom by President Barack Obama.

The Nisqually Indian Tribe is a sovereign nation located on the Nisqually River with more than 800 enrolled tribal members. The tribe employs 1,500 tribal and non-tribal people in government and its enterprises under their Medicine Creek Enterprise Corporation. The tribe has worked to protect and restore the land throughout their traditional territory from Mount Rainier to the mouth of the Nisqually River and continue to do that work just as Billy Frank Jr. did throughout his life. For more information, visit nisqually-nsn.gov.

ArtsWA is the Washington State Arts Commission, a state government agency established in 1961. ArtsWA works to be a catalyst for the arts, advancing the role of the arts in the lives of individuals and communities throughout the state. Programs include Art in Public Places, Arts in Education, Grants to Organizations, and other special projects. For more information, visit arts.wa.gov.