Entwined by Charles Gadeken now on display at City Hall
By MARRIE STONE
Photos by Mary Hurlbut
A high-tech flower garden took bloom on City Hall’s lawn last month. Unlike its organic muse, this garden looks more like it belongs in a nightclub. The shrubs – each stalk topped with 3 1/2-inch plastic cubes – pulse, glow, blink and dance. They also switch colors: pink, chartreuse, orange, blue, white and purple. Every so often, they go dark.
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“Entwined” by Charles Gadeken, is on display through January 2025 on City Hall’s lawn
Entwined, by 60-year-old San Francisco based artist Charles Gadeken, imagines a post-nature world where plants and trees no longer grow, and the landscape depends on technology for beauty. “We’re living in a society that is being fairly destructive to nature,” Gadeken said. “If we don’t watch out, we’ll end up with manmade flowers only.”
If you’re not a climate change pessimist, Gadeken invites you to experience Entwined as the flowers of the future. “As society moves into space, they’ll need flowers too,” he said. “That’s a way to look at it that sounds better. Flowers made for the moon.”
In the meantime, Entwined provides the opportunity for play. Bring your phone, scan one of its six QR codes and you control the show. Sing, talk or yell into your phone to activate the lights. Or play with color variants and alter the lights’ intensity. It’s a fun way to be part of the art.
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Scan the QR codes to begin playing with the art. Sing your favorite song and watch the lights follow your lead.
“Technology is running our lives,” Gadeken said. “It’s nice to be able to control it for a change. Plus, we all listen to people talking into their phones all day. It’s also nice to take that activity and turn it into something visually fun for everyone.”
Gadeken, whose path to artistic prominence started at Burning Man, first envisioned Entwined in 2020 in celebration of Golden Gate Park’s 150th anniversary. For four years, it became an annual outdoor installation inviting folks to gather together and play with art. It’s also been shown in Phoenix, Reno and the United Nations Plaza in downtown San Francisco.
“It’s something that makes you stop and look,” he said. “People take so little time to enjoy public art. They look over at it and just keep walking.”
Gadeken wanted to create something that people could interact with. Something that stood at eye level with children and was sturdy enough to allow them to play with it. “It’s very much made for little kids,” he said. “It’s in their face and at their height. It’s very tactile and they can grab onto it.”
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The shrubs are built intentionally low so children can interact with them at eye level
But you don’t have to be a child to enjoy it. Entwined is intended to bring out the little kid in us all.
“The holidays are a great time to remind ourselves of the simple pleasures of being silly, having fun, and getting outside to sing, laugh and dance together,” said Mayor Sue Kempf. “Entwined is both the perfect backdrop for holiday photos and a wonderful opportunity to get playful with art.”
Entwined will also be a welcome addition to Laguna’s annual Hospitality Night happening on Friday, Dec. 6. The Laguna Beach High School Band will perform on City Hall’s lawn, so watch as their tunes bring the lights to life.
“The city’s Arts Commission is excited to share this light art installation, especially during the holiday season,” said Laguna Beach Cultural Arts Director Siân Poeschl. “This captivating grouping of sculptural interactive lights adds a new dimension to the city’s temporary public art program. The interplay of light and form creates an immersive experience further elevated with interactive elements.”
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The shrubs are clustered together for maximum visual impact, and to allow lawn space for all the winter activities happening on City Hall’s lawn
For those simply feeling down or frustrated with the state of the world, Entwined arrived at just the right time. It’s a tangible, illuminated reminder that hope lies in art. “This is a good time to hang out with family and experience something beautiful in the world,” Gadeken said. “That’s what I do with my art. I’m trying to make the world more beautiful, one square inch at a time.”
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Come experience the magic of “Entwined” this holiday season
Thank you to the Arts Commission, lodging establishments and city of Laguna Beach for funding this installation.
For more information on Charles Gadeken and his work, visit his website here. Gadeken also runs The Box Shop, a studio workspace for artists in San Francisco. With more than 100 working artists, their mission is to support the creation of high-quality art by providing shared access to tools, skills and knowledge. Check out their website here.
