‘Monument to Your Stinky Tree’ | Socrates Sculpture Park

Lucia Thomé’s ‘Monument to Your Stinky Tree’ replicates the form of Isamu Noguchi’s 1980 ‘Spirit of the Lima Bean,’ commissioned by an agriculturist who made his fortune from the aforementioned legume, painted with a surface of Ailanthus Altissima foliage as camouflage. Disparagingly known as Stink Tree and Ghetto Palm, this invasive species originates from China and thrives in urban conditions, including the nearby site of the Noguchi Museum. By combining narratives of migration, transformation, and change, Thomé creates an homage to urban resilience.

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Photography by Scott Lynch and Sara Morgan.