Victor Ochoa is a world-famous muralist, activist and pioneer of the Chicano art movement whose work can be found throughout San Diego, particularly in Chicano Park. You can learn more about him here.
Should you stroll through San Ysidro Park, between West and East Park Avenue, just north of the San Ysidro Civic Center, you’ll probably see what appears to be a raised square platform in the middle of the grass. As you move closer this colorful public art, titled Arbol de la Vida (Tree of Life), comes into focus. It’s a tile mosaic planter and bench that surrounds a tree!
I can find almost nothing about this public art when I search the internet. Written on the tiles is the following:
Arbol de la Vida by Victor Ochoa, 1995. Commissioned for the community of San Ysidro and the citizens of San Diego through the City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture. Tree of Life.
It appears the overall design was created by Victor Ochoa and the tiles were painted by local children.
Do you know more about his wonderful public artwork? If you do, leave a comment!
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I’m a local resident. I know of another one of these tree basins/planters in San Ysidro by Victor Ochoa. It is location in Howard Lane park off Dairy Mart Road. It has different sets of tiles around it, but the same commemoration information. The tree has long since died unfortunately and it seems forgotten in the corner of the park. I can send pictures if you email me. I’m not sure why there are two of them and if there are any others around. Neither are listed on the cities civic art collection website https://data.sandiego.gov/public-art/
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Thanks for the great info! I had no plans for today, so I think I’ll go down and see it.
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