Charles Gadeken’s Entwined, a sprawling immersive LED light installation in Golden Gate Park’s Peacock Meadow, has been delighting San Franciscans since it first opened in 2020. The whimsical installation is an otherworldly ecosystem of glowing trees, bushes, and other natural elements created from colorful pixel-like LED lights. In years past, the trees ranged from 8-20 feet tall, accompanied by dozens of glowing flower clusters and bushes that created an otherworldly garden.
This year, the art installation is returning better than ever with a new iteration of the beloved installation. Entwined: Elder Mother centers around the Elder Mother tree. Standing at 30 feet tall and casting a 25-foot canopy of light that welcomes people to sit and enjoy its glow. Despite being made of metal, the new installation still moves with the wind while it glows. The Elder Mother tree is truly interactive, with 6 QR codes you can scan that allows you to control the light patterns of the tree.
The evolving art installation is moving from its former home at Peacock Meadow to JKF Promenade in front of the meadow. The installation officially opens December 7, 2023, and is completely free to the public, like many of the other art installations along JFK Promenade. Free events will be held during the installation, starting with a festive tree lighting ceremony on December 7 at McLaren Lodge.
“Please join us for the next evolution of Entwined, sit in the shade of Elder Mother, and listen to a fairytale or two. Come out and enjoy the parts of the sculpture that you loved in the past, and explore our new creation and the secrets that it holds,“ said artist Charles Gadeken who creates the iconic installation.
The installation will continue to feature enchanting visual effects from past installations such as ripples in a pond, raindrops, and wind blowing tall grass and flowers. Over 150 lighting patterns with hundreds of variations and an accompanying audio system bring another level of immersion to the otherworldly meadow.
Local artist Charles Gadeken created this installation with the goal of engaging people of all ages and all walks of life. His work prioritizes accessibility in art and has been seen at Burning Man, Coachella, and more.
Entwined: Elder Mother is a temporary installation, but it will be open all the way until April 28, 2024, giving everyone plenty of time to experience the magic. It is on JFK Promenade by Peacock Meadow in the east end of the park between McLaren Lodge and the Conservatory of Flowers. Visitors can see Entwined: Elder Mother from 5-10 pm each night.
By Dana Flynn and Jamie Ferrell