Bainbridge Island recently celebrated the new “Peers” art installation at Ted Spearman Justice Center.

BI artist Shawn Parks shared the many meanings of the work. The art weaves strong symbolism to set an equitable and hopeful tone of the center, a city news release says.

Through classic iconography of columns to create a sense of place and reverence, it lets the community know “something important happens here,” Parks said, adding “Peers” reimagines strength to our differences, respect for all people, and reverence for institutional transparency—all will find justice here, equitably.

“Peers” is also a play on words, exploring the homophone peer/pier. Pier is a synonym for column, and pier is a place of arrival, well-known on an island. Peer denotes an equal, as in a jury of one’s peers. The word peer also means to look closely and carefully. Drawing from the artist’s textile work, Parks wove the columns in “Peers” symbolizing the sense of interconnectivity that is community. The unfinished weaving at the top allows for BI’s community to define our future and how we engage in civic duty.

Inspiration for the color threads come from watching an early morning sunrise over the water surrounding BI. The start of a new day — hope and optimism. The artwork was carefully reviewed with an equity lens by a diverse committee of BI residents, with members from the Public Art Committee, the Race Equity Advisory Committee, the Municipal Court, Police Department, mental health professionals, and project management staff.

A ceremony celebrating the artwork will take place Sept. 27.