Tree of Life & Kan
Yvonne Domenge
2011
Steel and Paint
A gift from the artist, Yvonne Domenge and Chicago’s Millennium Park, these three sculptures are intended to be viewed together as a group and were originally components of Interconnected, a major outdoor solo exhibition during 2010-2012 at Millennium Park in Chicago. In 2012, the artist, Yvonne Domenge, assisted by curators and directors of Millennium Park, donated each of the six public artworks to competing cities across the United States.
Atlanta was one of the few cities awarded the Domenge artworks and now serves as the permanent home for Tree of Life and Kan, in Freedom Park. Currently on view at the corner of North Avenue and Oakdale Road. The tree of life is a symbol of the connection between the underworld, the sky, and the terrestrial world in pre-Columbian cultures. The tree symbolizes life’s energy, and the seeds scattered beneath represent the beauty and fragility of new life.
Artwork acquisition
In late 2012, Tree of Life and Kan came to the City of Atlanta by way of Chicago’s Millennium Park. These three sculptures by Yvonne Domenge were originally components of Interconnected, a major outdoor solo exhibition during 2010-2012 at Millennium Park’s Boeing Gallery.
Yvonne Domenge, assisted by curators and directors of Millennium Park, donated each of the six public artworks to competing cities across the United States. The City of Atlanta was granted this artwork in October based upon a proposal submitted by the Office of Cultural Affairs Public Art Program which outlined Freedom “Art” Park as the location, the maintenance plan and the supporting portfolio of outstanding artworks within the collection.
Freedom “Art” Park
Like this new artwork, much of Atlanta’s public art collection resides in the many green spaces throughout the City. Legislation was passed in 2008 identifying Freedom Park Freedom Park as The City of Atlanta’s designated “Art Park”. Since this time, the Office of Cultural Affairs Public Art Program, The Fulton County Arts Council, Freedom Park Conservancy and various additional entities have worked to identify and implement temporary art projects and permanent artworks that complement the park’s landscape and increase the parks creative identity.
The portfolio of permanent artworks currently exhibiting in Freedom Park include work from internationally acclaimed artists such as Sol Le Witt and Thornton Dial. The artwork of Yvonne Domenge, visible in international locations such as Abutagun Hokkaido, Japan, Paris, France, Beijing China Mexico City, Mexico and the United Arab Emirates will surely continue this lineage of internationally relevant contemporary artworks in Freedom Park.
“I am exceptionally thankful to the artist, Yvonne Domenge for this generous cultural donation to the City of Atlanta. It is with great honor that we accept her outstanding work into our Public Art collection and take it into our care. We look forward to the artwork providing long term enjoyment for the citizens and visitors to Freedom Park.” -Camille Russell Love, Director of the City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs.
Freedom Park
North Ave. NE at Oakdale Rd. NE
Atlanta, GA 30307