HAA’s temporary public art project highlights trees’ importance
I knew there were trees in the green spaces in the Waugh/Memorial cloverleaf interchange; I just never paid attention to them as I entered and exited. The arrival of The Blue Trees, check an ephemeral outdoor installation by Australian artist Konstantin Dimopoulos, viagra buy has changed that for the next several months.
Invited by Houston Arts Alliance in collaboration with the Galveston Arts Center, pill Dimopoulos led volunteers in coloring the trunks of the crepe myrtles in the northeast and southwest circles of the interchange with biologically safe, ultramarine-blue pigmented water. (Volunteers also colored a few trunks at the Houston Parks and Recreation Department’s Gragg Building on South Wayside and will color more tree trunks at sites in Galveston March 29-30.)
Volunteers mostly worked in overcast weather, so they’ll have to come back to see how the trees’ appearance changes with lighting conditions – not to mention once the trees start blooming. Dimopoulos says the blue symbolizes trees’ role as the planet’s lungs and to spark conversation about deforestation issues. For HAA, the piece’s siting at the gateway to Memorial Park is meant as a reminder of the devastating toll the drought took on Houston’s trees. Ironically, the eye-popping color, which is expected to take about six months to fade, will last longer the less rain we get.
Pick up the April print edition of A+C for more of Amitava Sarkar’s photos of The Blue Trees. We’ll be passing out copies at our monthly happy hour from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, March 29, at Mongoose and Cobra, or you can pick one up at one of these locations.
–DEVON BRITT-DARBY
