Oscar Tuazon
Growth Rings, 2019
Now + There
Central Wharf Park, Boston
June 2019 - October 2020
Growth Rings, 2019, a site-specific artwork, responded to the most prominent feature of Central Wharf Park, the 26 oak trees. The artist was asked to consider the park as a space of contemplation and respite from the urban chaos. Suspended between the trunks of two living trees, standing vertical circles act as passages, portals through which people moved, or as a place to pause in between living beings. The size of the three rings, ranging from 15’ to 18’ in diameter, was determined by the spacing between trees. Sunken into the ground, the rings provided unimpeded passage for pedestrian traffic. Constructed of wood, the rings were meant to be touched by the public, encouraging an active, tactile experience of the park and its permanent inhabitants, the oaks. At the edge of the park, the ring framed a view of the historic Boston Harbor and adjacent wharfs. The artist connected the viewer to the trees and water, inviting them to take pause, appreciate our natural habitat and perhaps reconsider the wasteful use of natural resources.
Tuazon grew up in rural Washington State, near a Native American community. Exposure to Native American culture, particularly ideas of land use and stewardship of nature influenced his worldview. Tuazon used the Growth Ring installation as a platform to share local Native American beliefs about land use and stewardship.
Commissioned by Now + There, for Central Wharf Park, Guest Curator, Pedro Alonzo
IG @oscartuazon