For the Love of All That Is Good, Please Fix Those Bins of Light

It is safe to say that I'm one of the few residents in Yakima who actually loves the Lincoln Avenue bridge's "Bins of Light" art installation.

I think the view of the LED strip lights at night is wild, unexpected and show-stopping, which is just the way I like my city life to be. In 2015, it was announced that Yakima was getting a new art fixture over the Lincoln Avenue bridge and that it would reportedly absorb sun light during the day and be powered at night by solar energy and electric light.

I (foolishly) presumed that people in Yakima would love the Bins of Light, too. (I mean, how could you not?) Boy, was I wrong about that.

Soon after the artist team of Haddad|Drugan (fabricated by Atomic Fabrications; glass made by Glasmalerei Peters Studios, and installation by Belsaas & Smith), had the glass and fruit label art stencils fabricated and installed, the backlash from Yakimoanians was swift!

"The bins are hideous!" said one commenter on the Yakima Herald's Facebook page.

Here are some more scathing Bins of Light reviews:

"I have literally been upset about this since it went up."
"They remind me of Tetris, not fruit bins."
"It's like someone started Tetris and never finished it."
" Looks like someone failed at putting a knockoff Rubik’s cube together."
"They’re backwards, so what do you think?"
"That's not art. What were you smoken (sic) when you should have been thinking?"
"MAJOR FAIL..."
"Ugh."
"At the end of the day, all that matters is this looks like someone puked on the side of the bridge and had just eaten a bowl of fruit."
"THE WHOLE PROJECT IS A SNAFU!!!"
"Maybe they could change the direction of the road?? LOL"

This one is my favorite comment: "I would have done a better job at half the price." Touché!

I stand by my love for the Bins of Light, but I am frustrated beyond all get out that the logos are STILL backward. The Arts Commission has since dissolved and we have a new Economic Development Director in place, so SOMEBODY needs to get it fixed and get it fixed now! It makes me want to scream out of the window every time I drive on the bridge and see that mess! Do I need to wrangle up a pack of citizens to get some pitchforks and storm City Hall? Who is our new city contact to get this lovely art fixture to be displayed correctly? Ahhhhhhh!!! [REDACATED OBSENITIES].

Please fix those friggin' Bins of Light!

Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.