Common Roots 

Powder-coated Steel
Pioneer Park, Salt Lake City, Utah
2026

Common Roots is inspired by nature, migration, and community at Salt Lake City’s Pioneer Park. Positioned at the park’s north east entrance, the arches of the artwork spell out “Pioneer Park” in cursive. The colorful forms evoke both tree roots and migration routes, symbolizing the diverse communities and plant life that have shaped the park and its surroundings.

Drawing from the mycorrhizal networks of trees where roots interconnect to share resources, Common Roots turns these underground systems upward, representing interconnectedness. The arches also trace the movements of people, goods, and cultures through Salt Lake City’s West Side, the city’s first multicultural district.

Common Roots can be interpreted in different ways from various angles. Its curling forms suggest cursive letters and scripts from the many languages spoken around the park. The artwork celebrates the universality of written language.

A welcoming threshold, Common Roots honors Pioneer Park’s layered history as both a neighborhood gathering place and a citywide venue.