Selling and Moving a Public Art Giant?
February 20th, 2008 at 02:14pm Rebecca Borden
Today, one of Washington, DC’s most recognizable, oversized sculptures is being uprooted and moved across the river: The Awakening – one of the more iconic public art pieces in Washington, DC.
Last year, the owner of the sculpture sold it to the developers of National Harbor, a glitzy convention center complex slated to open in April farther south along the Potomac in Prince George’s. The sculpture will be reinstalled there Wednesday. According to the Park Service, it had been for sale the duration of its time at Hains Point.
The sculpture is 17 feet tall at its highest point — the fingers of the right arm — and 70 feet across. The five-piece creation is the largest work by Johnson, known for statues of people doing day-to-day activities. The Awakening has drawn thousands of visitors since it was installed in June 1980.
Read the full Washington Post article from Sunday, February 17.
1 Comment Add your own
1. Eric Giles | February 20th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
This is a great example of the often surrealistic juxtaposition of the commercial aspect of art and art’s ability to effect the hearts and souls of the viewer. The Awakening has really become a part of the community, in a very real sense a member of the family. In my opinion the move is equivalent to a son/daughter from a close knit community moving to a larger modern city. Instead of being “the” landmark at Hains Point it will become one of many attractions at the National Harbor site. I am afraid it will get lost in the crowd, or worse equated with the commercialized glitz surrounding it.
Leave a Comment
Trackback this post | Subscribe to the comments via RSS Feed