The Ratmobile is one of the many aerosol art projects undertaken by Street Smart Art, a City of Seattle program geared at giving young artists legal outlets for their creative juices. Ably administered by Saundra Valencia, the program enriched our streets and parks with a number of colorful and inventive murals over a three-year period.
The Ratmobile, owned by performance artist Thaddeus, is a unique vehicle. A buffalo-like sewer rat's fierce countenance stares boldly from the hood. Aerosol depictions of the city skyline (with rusty sewer pipes in the foreground) cover the car's sides. Like the Magic Theater in Hesse's Steppenwolf, entrance to this car is not for everyone . . . for madmen only!