Jody Zellen
SHADOW TREES


Local Color is a public art initiative where the City of Santa Monica licensed images from artists.
Shadow Trees was installed on 4th Street and Broadway in Downtown Santa Monica in March 2026.


photo: Asha Mone

photo: Asha Mone

Shadow Trees is a suite of images that captures the enigmatic and mysterious shadows of leaves and trees on walls. Within this grid of images, is a QR code that leads to an animation of all the images in the project. Focusing on shadows cast by trees onto walls, buildings, pavement, and the trunks of other trees, Shadow Trees investigates places where natural and built environments overlap and touch. The work compiles and animates images of urban nature and evokes an ephemeral presence and absence of trees. The images are filled with vibrant color and movement alluding to what exists beyond the frame.

Within the grid of images is a QR code that leads to an animation of all the images in the project.