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Cedrus by Ursula von Rydingsvard
Photo CreditGSA
Cedrus
Photo CreditGSA

Cedrus

Artist
Year2015
Classification sculpture
Medium western red cedar and graphite
Dimensions18 ft. 4 1/6 in. × 10 ft. 11 1/8 in. × 8 ft. 11 7/8 in. (558.8 × 332.7 × 274.3 cm)
Credits Commissioned through the Art in Architecture Program
Fine Arts Collection
U.S. General Services Administration
Location
  • Cedrus is a monumental, abstract sculpture created by artist Ursula von Rydingsvard and her studio team. Despite its huge size, the artwork has been meticulously hand-worked across every surface.

    Von Rydingsvard starts each of her cedar sculptures by marking the wooden beams with pencil and chalk. She and her team then use custom-made circular saws, angle grinders, and chisels to shape the wood. Finally, they rub graphite powder into the textured surfaces. 

    The interior cavity at the top of Cedrus, which can be seen from the mezzanine above, is treated with equal care. Von Rydingsvard's methodical process results in artworks that appear both natural and manmade.

    Not far from Cedrus, on the nearby federal plaza, is Bearing Witness (1997), a large bronze sculpture commissioned by GSA from artist Martin Puryear. In 2022, von Rydingsvard recounted: "I first met Martin when I moved to New York City in the 1970s, and his friendship was very consequential to me, as we have many things in common, including our work ethic."

    Cedrus originally was created for and installed in 2015 at a federal office building in Miramar, Florida. The sculpture was reinstalled at the Ronald Reagan Federal Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C., in 2025.