Rants and Ramblings: random commentary about culture, media, politics, technology and whatnot.

awakening downriver

I didn’t pay much attention to coverage of the National Harbor project until I read this in Sunday’s Post:

In the coming months, the outdoor sculpture “The Awakening” will be dug up from Hains Point, its home for the past 27 years, then barged and trucked to an undisclosed location where it will be cleaned and restored.

Then, the 70-foot work, which depicts a giant struggling to emerge from the earth, will be planted in a new sandy beach on the other side of the Potomac River…

“The Awakening” has been part of the Washington landscape for so long that it is widely considered public property. Artist J. Seward Johnson installed it at Hains Point in 1980 as part of an international sculpture conference. He had wanted to donate it, but the National Park Service could not accept site-specific art gifts, according to Paula Stoeke, director of the Sculpture Foundation, which ultimately took title to the piece and maintained it. “The piece has enjoyed such an affectionate relationship with the community and visitors to Washington over the years,” she said.

Peterson is among its many admirers. Several years ago, he saw an item in the paper about the sculpture being for sale. He bought it recently for about $750,000, signing a confidentiality agreement with the foundation not to disclose the purchase. It is unclear what, if anything, may take its place on Hains Point…

(Washington Post: “Grand Vision for National Harbor Takes Form” - 04/22/07)

I’m actually rather bewildered by the whole thing — first, that such a uniquely D.C. landmark would be removed from a location that suits it so well; second, that what I’d assumed was public art wasn’t really public property after all; and third, that there was so much apparent secrecy about the deal.