Art installation in San Francisco, at the intersection of 10th and Bryant in the SoMa. It is off to the left side of an on-ramp to the highway, so it gets seen by a lot of people.

The Plough Electric building provides a blue aluminum canvas for a giant, (10 times oversized) black and white one way-style street sign. The sign has the proper colors, font, and proportions to be a one way sign. Except, instead of "one way", it says:

ONE TREE -->

If drivers are not looking closely, the look and feel is close enough that their peripheral vision may think it's a one way sign. Which would be OK, since it happens to also point down a one-way on-ramp. But that's not why it points that way.

The arrow points off to the right, where near the sign, there is, amazingly enough, a tree. A rather lonely, unimpressive tree, on a small patch of land surrounded by concrete. It is surrounded by the constant roar of cars driving by and getting on the highway, but has this giant sign pointing to it, as if to say "FYI, here is a tree".

On the one hand, it says something about the ability of the tree to survive in a hostile, urbanized environment. On the other hand, it makes fun of the programming in our heads for recognizing such street signs. Sort of humorous, sad and inspiring, all at once.

Installation by Rigo, who has done similar works in San Francisco, such as Innercity Home and Sky/Ground. It's also worth noting that Plough Electric could have sold the space for advertising, but instead donated the space to Rigo.

Not to be confused with The One Tree in Black Rock City.