Phoenix's Tacky Trees Have a Story | Phoenix News

Two giant orange trees in South Phoenix sparked a viral backlash—called “tacky” and “ugly” by thousands online. But behind the controversy? A $350K public art project tied to the light rail, designed with community input to honor the area’s citrus farming roots. Artist George Bates says the criticism is common, and only 18-20% of the budget went to him—most funded fabrication through local Phoenix businesses. This installation is one of 19 along the rail corridor, part of a $3.6M art investment meant to draw visitors to the neighborhood’s culture and people. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/a914318c2dfcefa4