INCREDIBLE JEFF KOONS LIVING SCULPTURE FOUND NEW HOME AT LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART
The fact that Jeff Koons is a pop art maestro is well known. From enormous balloon animals and the Incredible Hulk to Hoover vacuums and the Pink Panther, Koons has been responsible for some of the most iconic artworks in the world since the 1980s. Play and humour are at the heart of Split-Rocker's work as a whole. At the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), an artist's proof of the enormous sculpture has now found a new, permanent home.
Standing 37 feet tall, Split-Rocker blends two whimsical and nostalgic shapes: half of a dinosaur's head and half of a pony's head, both of which have been simplified to the point of being suitably cartoonish. Supported by an internal irrigation system, approximately 50,000 plants bloom throughout the sculpture, covering its whole surface. These flowers change Split-Rocker's profile, texture, and character with each season, further solidifying its status as a surreal and "alive" sculpture. A committed group of local horticulturists will curate drought-tolerant flowers and plants for LACMA's Split-Rocker edition to adapt to California's climate.
The purchase of Split-Rocker by LACMA also marks the beginning of a new phase for the organisation. The sculpture, which was given as a gift by Lynda and Stewart Resnick, will serve as the focal point of the public gardens around the David Geffen Galleries, which will hold the museum's permanent collection when it opens in 2026. Additionally, LACMA is organising a "strong program of outdoor public art" across the 3.5-acre park in advance of its launch. In addition to Koons, Liz Glynn, Thomas Houseago, Shio Kusaka, Pedro Reyes, and Diana Thater will also have sculptures and artwork in the garden.
Both the artist's proof and the first edition of Split-Rocker have been on the road since 2000, having been seen at the Rockefeller Center, the Fondation Beyeler, the Palais des Papes, and Versailles. The initial edition of the sculpture is permanently displayed at the Glenstone Museum in Maryland as of 2013. "Jeff is a master of fusing layers of deeper artistic significance with vibrant humor," said Wallis Annenberg director and LACMA CEO Michael Govan in a statement. "This live sculpture is a lovely addition to LACMA, where it will welcome guests, walkers, and vehicles on Wilshire Boulevard."
In order to have Split-Rocker completely blossomed by next April, LACMA plans to seed it later this summer. Govan joyfully adds that LACMA's Split-Rocker will be "alive and flourishing year-round in the mild environment of Southern California," which is unique among the four of Koons' flower sculptures that are located throughout the world.