Common Roots is a multicolored public art installation inspired by the intersection of nature, migration, and community at Salt Lake City’s Pioneer Park. Located at the park’s north entrance, the installation forms a vibrant gateway of arches that spell out Pioneer Park in flowing cursive letters. These colorful forms evoke both tree roots and migration routes, symbolizing the diversity of communities and plant life that have shaped—and continue to shape—the park and its surroundings.

The work draws inspiration from the mycorrhizal networks of trees—mutualistic systems where roots interconnect to share resources and sustain growth. By turning roots upward, Common Roots reveals these hidden relationships as a metaphor for the interconnectedness of communities that have long defined the area, from Indigenous peoples to waves of immigrant settlers.

The arches trace the movements of people, goods, and cultures through Salt Lake City’s West Side, the city’s first multi-community international district. Walking through them evokes a journey, offering space to reflect on resilience, exchange, and belonging.

Designed for open interpretation, Common Roots can be read differently from every angle. Up close, its curling forms suggest cursive letters, scripts, and characters from many languages once spoken—and still spoken—around Pioneer Park. These flowing symbols invite visitors to recognize the universality of written forms and the enduring interconnectedness of cultures.

As a welcoming threshold, Common Roots honors Pioneer Park’s dual role as both a neighborhood gathering place and a city-wide venue, celebrating its layered history while embracing the diverse communities that continue to give it life.