Welcome To Sunny California
2010
On-demand printed poster, 16 x 20 in. Unlimited edition
2010
On-demand printed poster, 16 x 20 in. Unlimited edition
Near the end of the 19th century, Southern California experienced one of many real estate boom cycles, drawing large numbers of migrants from the Midwest and East Coast seeking new lives. Land speculators promoted the region as a paradise of sunshine, easy living, and fertile land.
Some prospective buyers traveled to Joshua Tree and nearby developing towns. To make the barren landscape appear more appealing, landowners would sometimes place oranges on Joshua Trees in advance of these visits, presenting them as “orange trees” and symbols of Southern California’s promise of abundance.
My project re-creates this fabricated scenario by skewering decorative oranges onto a Joshua Tree in Joshua Tree, CA. Decorative (or ornamental) orange trees, common in Los Angeles, are planted for appearance rather than utility; they produce inedible fruit that serves no purpose beyond evoking the look of abundance and prosperity. By relocating these oranges to the desert and placing them on a Joshua Tree, I connect moments of idealized nature from the past and present. The project invites reflection on how visions of paradise and better futures are constructed, marketed, and shaped by history, location, and desire.
Some prospective buyers traveled to Joshua Tree and nearby developing towns. To make the barren landscape appear more appealing, landowners would sometimes place oranges on Joshua Trees in advance of these visits, presenting them as “orange trees” and symbols of Southern California’s promise of abundance.
My project re-creates this fabricated scenario by skewering decorative oranges onto a Joshua Tree in Joshua Tree, CA. Decorative (or ornamental) orange trees, common in Los Angeles, are planted for appearance rather than utility; they produce inedible fruit that serves no purpose beyond evoking the look of abundance and prosperity. By relocating these oranges to the desert and placing them on a Joshua Tree, I connect moments of idealized nature from the past and present. The project invites reflection on how visions of paradise and better futures are constructed, marketed, and shaped by history, location, and desire.
©2024 Tucker Neel. All rights reserved.