The Claremont City Council and Public Art Committee unveiled a new sculpture in front of City Hall on Tuesday. Los Angeles artist Sijia Chen, a visual artist concentrating in large-scale painting, sculpture and installation, created the newest edition to the City’s Public Art program. Adding to our City of Trees, “Arbor,” is inscribed with every species of tree growing in Claremont. Ms. Chen said the piece was inspired by Claremont’s “rich and vibrant cultural values.”

“For this project, taking into consideration it will be in an outdoor setting, I wanted to address the significance of trees and citrus plants in defining Claremont’s landscape,” she wrote. “My intent is to acknowledge the history of the project’s location, to encourage interaction and engagement with the public and to contribute to Claremont’s cultural history and community.”

The piece will replace a planter previously held a red ironbark tree that was cut down due to disease in 2015. A camphor tree was planted in its place, but it also failed to thrive, prompting the city to look to public art as an option. COURIER photo/Rachel Fagg