Sun Garden

Sun Garden is a group of colorful ‘plants’ that grow out of the planters on the west side of Mill Avenue where it passes under the train tracks at the southern entrance to downtown. The dichroic material used in the petals blocks some of the sunlight striking them and allows colored shadows to pass through. The color of the shadows changes as the angle of the sun moves through the sky. As the sun rises in the east, these plants cast colorful shadows onto the retaining walls. As the sun nears its zenith and the day heats up, the colorful shadows shift to providing color and shade to the sidewalk alongside Mill Avenue.

Conceptually, Sun Garden is meant to be a colorful, optimistic and life-affirming introduction to downtown Tempe as people drive in from the south, leave from the north or walk in either direction along the sidewalk.

Artistic lighting under the train tracks and shining on the retaining walls creates similar colorful effects at night.

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Date: 

2025

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Location: 

Mill Avenue, Tempe, Arizona

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Dimensions: 

There are two types of sculptures in this series. Type A measures 15’7” wide x 8’2” tall x 3’6” deep. Type B measures 11’6” wide x 8'1” tall x 4’3” deep.

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Medium:

Steel, dichroic acrylic

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Artists:

Joseph O’Connell + Creative Machines