"The Awakening" (1980) - J. Seward Johnson's Locally Famous and Loved Sculpture, Moved from Hains Point to National Harbor, MD

[SRJ]

On 1/7/2018 at 4:39 PM, DonRocks said:

And I'm still pissed that they took "The Awakening" away from Hains Point, which is what it was designed for (even though I don't like the artist; I loved the sculpture there).

I wouldn't be surprised if it returns to Hains Point now that it would have an active audience to water taxi over from the Wharf.

[saf]

4 hours ago, SRJ said:

I wouldn't be surprised if it returns to Hains Point now that it would have an active audience to water taxi over from the Wharf.

It can't. It was sold to the National Harbor folks. (NPS couldn't buy it, and wouldn't promise it a permanent spot.)

[SRJ]

3 hours ago, saf said:

It can't. It was sold to the National Harbor folks. (NPS couldn't buy it, and wouldn't promise it a permanent spot.)

Someone like David Rubenstein could easily donate enough to the NPS to buy it back now that it fits into the plans for the site. Or the Wharf developers could  buy it for the other side.

[saf]

8 hours ago, SRJ said:

Someone like David Rubenstein could easily donate enough to the NPS to buy it back now that it fits into the plans for the site. Or the Wharf developers could  buy it for the other side.

The Wharf developers perhaps, but it can't go on NPS land.

From a NYT story (can't turn up any of the Post stories right now):  "The work, which depicts a bearded man trapped in the earth, was installed, using a temporary permit, along with 500 other pieces as part of a 1980 citywide art exhibition. Six years after the installation, Congress passed a law requiring all public art on National Park Service land in Washington to be installed for a short period unless it was commemorative."