Parks Alive Madison

“Held in parks across Madison, Parks Alive events are a chance to visit your local park, listen to music, participate in fun, family-friendly activities, enjoy free food and get to know your neighbors. Build connections with your community and connect with green spaces across the city at events throughout the summer.”

- Parks Alive Webpage, City of Madison

In August, the theme for Parks Alive is Arts and Culture. Artists Evan Johnson and Leilani Chun were invited for a month long residency to create temporary public art installations in 11 parks across Madison for the Parks Alive events in the month of August, 2026

Along with library volunteers, other artists in residence, bicycle repair volunteers, vendors offering free meals for the community, local musicians and many more - Evan and Leilani asked community members, adults and children alike to collaborate on the artworks. All installations are made with thoroughly washed recycled paper pulp using only cellulose and water. The installations are temporary and will be removed or fall away naturally, returning to the earth without harming the trees.

Evan and Leilani call viewers to consider their role in stewardship of the ecosystems they live in by inviting interest in the natural forms highlighted by their augmentation. They use an intuitive drawing practice via application of cellulose paper pulp to trees and other landscape elements in public spaces. 

Line and mark making combine with elements of sculpture as topographical lines and lichen-like forms begin to grow on the surfaces. They hope to engage with the community by inviting passersby to apply pulp to trees and take pride in having contributed to public art in their city. 

Physically the artwork mimics the ephemerality of the seasons: the work will appear suddenly, harden with the remarkable strength of hydrogen bonding present in papermaking, and safely return to the earth when it is ready to be washed away after 6 months or more.