thoreau

I've been meaning to photograph and post about this art installation at Civic Center for a long while. They went up in February and are taking on a whole new dimension now that the trees they are built on are starting to produce new leaves. (pictured right)

They are a public environmental art project by San Francisco artist Patrick Dougherty comprised of 18,000 lbs. of freshly cut willow saplings interwoven into the treetops of the sycamore trees in Civic Center Plaza.

From his website:

The artist carefully weaves the recycled willow branches through the sycamore tree branches to emerge through the treetops. The sculptural forms rise to a height of approximately 8 feet above the top of the trees. The sculptural form is created by the artist without an internal structure, wire, hardware or any outside means of attachment. The artist explains that twigs and saplings have a propensity to entangle and intertwine with everything. Dougherty bends and flexes the material resulting in a joyful and exuberant collision of art and nature in his large cocoon or hive like forms.

He has titled the work "THE UPPER CRUST." They have been holding up very well despite the windy blustery spring we've had in San Francisco. They will remain in place till November. It'll be interesting to see how they look when the sycamore tree hosts are in full summer bloom - and then again as those leaves go in the fall.

Very cool stuff! It is very cool living within a block of such coolness.... Kateydog and I watch the hives in the morning walk every morning.