Artwork Detail

The two artworks at El Cariso Regional Park are in the tradition of land art, in which artists integrate natural materials like stones, concrete and landscaping in the design. Sylmar was once the site of the largest olive grove and mill in the world. Ball-Nogues Studio recalls this agricultural history in Orchard. The artwork was inspired by traditional tools used in olive production—an olive press, olive grinder and sorting bins. 103 interlocking precast concrete parts encircle a fruit-bearing olive tree and bed of lavender. The project required soil testing, irrigation planning and conservation assessments. Artist Biography Ball-Nogues Studio (established 2004) is an integrated design and fabrication practice operating in a territory between architecture, art, and industrial design, led by Benjamin Ball and Gaston Nogues. Their work is informed by the exploration of craft. Essential to each project is the "design" of the production process itself, with the aim of creating environments that enhance sensation, generate spectacle and invite physical engagement. http://www.ball-nogues.com/

Benjamin Ball and Gaston Nogues of LA-based Ball-Nogues Studio, began their practice together after having met as Sci-Arc undergraduates. Prior to partnering in business, Benjamin Ball worked for several Los Angeles architecture firms including Gehry & Associates and Ramer Architecture, and Gaston Nogues worked as a product designer for Gehry Partners. As a Studio, Ball and Nogues have completed designs and installations for the New York Museum of Modern Art / P.S. 1, the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art and Materials & Applications. In the fall of 2008, they were invited to install their artwork, Echoes Converge, at the 2008 Architecture Biennial in Venice, Italy.