Client: Omnitrans sbX Bus Rapid Transit
Location: San Bernadino, CA, United States
Completion date: 2014
Artwork budget: $50,000
Project Team
Glass fabrication
Glasmalerei Peters
Glasmalerei Peters
Overview
The Blue Tree project engages the removal of a tree from the California State University San Bernardino campus. For 8 weeks, the artists and students, hosted a series of art activations at the site that dealt with the tree loss. They attempted to remove the tree from the horizon, by painting it the same color as the sky, limbs were cut and used in art activities, gatherings took place under the remaining shade, all this drew attention to the fate of the tree. The documentation of this time based piece is represented in the glass panels of the station.
Goals
The goals were to engage students and faculty of the university in a representational work, which celebrated the life of a tree and raised awareness to the poor air quality of the area.
Process
Engaged with students and faculty of the Art Dept at CSUSB in the concept and creation of the Blue Tree. Photography of the tree was printed on glass in Paderborn, Germany. The glass panels allow the tree to continue to serve as an air-quality reference.