A Must-See In SF: The Futuristic 'SQUARED' Tree

SAN FRANCISCO – SQUARED, a 50-foot-tall tree “reimagined in a futuristic world post nature” by artist Charles Gadeken, is on display in Hayes Valley’s Patricia’s Green, providing a nightly light show of prismatic color and light.

The new, yearlong, public-art installation was made possible with funding from developer impact fees, according to the San Francisco Arts Commission and Recreation and Park Department.

"At night, the sculpture performs a light show of an almost infinite array of color patterns, creating a different experience and ambiance from one minute to the next," officials said.

Previously exhibited at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and at Burning Man, SQUARED features 786 white, plastic cubes arrayed in clusters on a black steel, square tube frame. Each cube holds 12 to 24 individually addressable LEDs, programmed through custom software to generate millions of colors and thousands of patterns, the city said. A pre-set program directs waves of colors and patterns that sweep over the tree to create an ever-shifting kaleidoscope of light.

“We are so grateful to the Recreation and Park Department and to the Hayes Valley community for being so supportive of temporary public art,” said Director of Cultural Affairs Tom DeCaigny. “We are thrilled to work with Charles Gadeken on this latest project, and we are excited to see his beautiful sculpture add to the already vibrant neighborhood nightlife.”

Patricia's Green in Hayes Valley is located at Fell Street and Octavia Boulevard in San Francisco, and SQUARED is running run nightly through May 2019. An official opening night reception is set for May 5. Details here.

The artist, Gadeken, has worked in the Bay Area for more than 20 years and whose art includes commissions by Black Rock Arts Foundation, Insomniac Events, Coachella, Absolut Vodka and the City of Palo Alto.

He also created Box Shop, a communal art space in San Francisco that provides access to high quality tools for local artists and makers.

The San Francisco Arts Commission champions the arts as essential to daily life. To learn more visit, sfartscommission.org.

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--Image courtesy of San Francisco Arts Commission