If you’re going to inspire “young people” to be green, visual stimuli is a must. A new style of pop culture has been flourishing for years, now available at your local newsstand thanks to magazines like Juxtapoz and Giant Robot. Tapping into the heart of this visionary social culture, Giant Robot’s San Francisco gallery is opening its third installment of the Tree Show this weekend in the Haight.

“The concept for the tree show was originally conceived by Eric Nakamura, owner and publisher of Giant Robot Magazine and stores. Artists that we worked with inspired the concept, trees and nature are universally beautiful and appreciated across all cultures,” Myleen, GRSF’s manager and curator for Tree Show III, told me yesterday.

As with its two previous incarnations, TS3 is a group exhibition featuring “arbor-inspired pieces by painters, illustrators, and other creators from street art, indie comics, printmaking, design, and crafty art backgrounds.” For an extra eco-element, this year’s show is also a fundraising effort for SF non-profit Friends of the Urban Forest, donating a portion of artwork sales to the organization’s tree planting efforts. “The partnership is a new development. It’s a great way for us to connect
what we do in the gallery with the local community,” mentioned Myleen. “[Art is] an important factor [for the green movement]; documenting, re-interpreting and informing people about the issues that threaten our environment.”

Returning contributor to the Tree Show series, Bay Area artist Bigfoot’s work has a consistently unique green theme. “My love of Nature is and has always been an inspiration and propelling force in my work. I depict a lot of trees with my bigfoot characters, so it was natural to be in all 3 shows,” he told me today. “[Eco-change] is the main drive of my art. The human powers that be are trying to destroy the planet; humans are lies and Nature is the truth! The more I can spread that vision of respecting Nature and seeing the magic, the more somebody might try to do something to change it. I wish everybody would stop how they have been living and start healing the earth.” A recent visit to his studio was featured on Fecal Face and pictures of his March solo show in LA can be seen on Juxtapoz (both are a visual treat).

Running until August 8th, an opening reception with many of the contributing artists attending is being held this Saturday, July 14th from 6:30pm-10pm. I hope many of you will be able to stop by and see this gorgeous exhibition; I’ll also be at the reception this weekend, so make sure to say hi! Giant Robot SF is located at 618 Shrader Street, between Haight and Waller Streets.

Art created by Maxwell Loren Holyoke-Hirsch