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Tree of Life

Artist: Amescua, Michael

Object Date: 2002

Medium: Stainless steel

Imperial Dims: Overall: 240 in.

County Department: Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles

Address Name: Chatsworth Courthouse

Supervisorial District: 3

About the Artwork:

Located in northern San Fernando Valley, the Chatsworth Courthouse of the Los Angeles Superior Court opened in May 2002. Michael Amescua's majestic Tree of Life is a twenty-foot-tall stainless-steel sculpture situated outside the courthouse where it can be seen by passersby as well as by jurors in the jury assembly room. Tree of Life is comprised of ten large decorative medallions which radiate in four directions from a central post. Each medallion depicts familiar California flora such as oak, palm and bird of paradise. The intricacy of Amescua’s design lends the sculpture a kinetic quality as sunlight and shadows pierce through the open work of the steel.

About the Artist:

Michael Amescua is an artist whose practice is based in East Los Angeles. Amescua has executed many public art projects in the Southern California region at varied locations including the MTA Gateway Transit Center in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles International Airport, Paseo Colorado in Pasadena, the Los Angeles Zoo, McCambridge Park in Burbank, Montebello Transit Center, and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. Amescua holds a BA from Occidental College.