Find A Park > Thomas Jefferson Park > Monuments > El Arbol de Esperanza

Thomas Jefferson Park

View all monuments in NYC Parks, as well as temporary public art installations on our NYC Public Art Map and Guide.

El Arbol de Esperanza

History

This text is part of Parks’ Historical Signs Project and can be found postedwithin the park.

This steel and bronze piece by artist L. Brower Hatcher (b. 1942) depicts an 18-foot-high stainless steel tree trunk topped by a large globe made from steel, brass, and bronze. The piece was installed in 1995 at the northeast corner of the park behind the Thomas Jefferson Recreation Center. The globe features bronze images of birds, fish, reptiles and toys modeled by children of River East School and the Thomas Jefferson Park Recreation Center. The Spanish title means “Tree of Hope,” reflecting the sculptor’s sentiment towards the community youth who played such an active role at artist-run workshops during the design of the piece.

Hatcher’s work is featured in New York at the Chase Manhattan Bank building. Other pieces of his are in a variety of U.S. cities including Philadelphia, Phoenix, Roanoke, Tampa, Birmingham, Madison, and Houston. The piece was sponsored by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs’ Percent for Art program.

Click map for directions

  • Tree trunk figure, globe constructed of a transparent matrix of coated rods with fittings at connecting points
  • Tree trunk figure, globe constructed of a transparent matrix of coated rods with fittings at connecting points
  • Tree trunk figure, globe constructed of a transparent matrix of coated rods with fittings at connecting points

El Arbol de Esperanza Details

  • Location: 1st Ave & 114th St.; Behind Recreation Center and pool
  • Sculptor: L. Brower Hatcher
  • Architect: Miceli Kulik Williams
  • Description: Tree trunk figure, globe constructed of a transparent matrix of coated rods with fittings at connecting points
  • Materials: Tree trunk figure--stainless steel (polished), globe---stainless steel, brass, bronze
  • Dimensions: Trunk H: 12'; Globe H: 12' Diameter: 7'6"
  • Cast: ca. 1995
  • Dedicated: July 17, 1995
  • Fabricator: L. Brower Hatcher
  • Donor: Percent for Art, Department of Cultural Affairs

Please note, the NAME field includes a primary designation as well as alternate namingsoften in common or popular usage. The DEDICATED field refers to the most recent dedication, most often, butnot necessarily the original dedication date. If the monument did not have a formal dedication, the yearlisted reflects the date of installation.

For more information, please contact Art & Antiquities at (212) 360-8163

Check out your park's Vital Signs

Clean & Safe

83
Park Condition Score
$7.3M
Recent Investment

Green & Resilient

340
Mapped Trees
No natural areas present at this site.
View all Forever Wild sites

Empowered & Engaged Users

351
Recent & Future Events
Yes
Volunteer Engagement

Share your feedback or learn more about how this park is part of a Vital Park System

Know Before You Go

Recreation Centers
Thomas Jefferson Recreation Center
In observance of the Thanksgiving holiday, this center will be open on Wednesday, November 27, 2024 until 5:00 p.m. and will close on Thursday, November 28.