Project
Operation Tumbleweed
A long-running public art project transforming harvested tumbleweeds into sculptural installations throughout Los Angeles.
Operation Tumbleweed by John Hanrahan

Overview

Operation Tumbleweed is a multi-year public art project involving the harvesting, transformation, and installation of tumbleweeds throughout Los Angeles. Each tumbleweed is collected from desert environments, painted, and reintroduced into the city as sculptural intervention.

Concept

The tumbleweed symbolizes migration, impermanence, and transformation. Originally shaped by environmental forces, it becomes an intentional artifact through artistic intervention. Relocated into urban space, the work explores relationships between nature, infrastructure, and perception.

Process

Each tumbleweed is harvested, stabilized, painted, and installed by hand. The work merges sculpture, installation, and performance into a unified artistic practice.

Future Work

Future installations expand in scale and complexity, incorporating illumination, environmental interaction, and large-scale exhibition formats.