A “Blue Rooster” Comes to U.S. Botanic Garden from National Gallery of Art

There's now a second "blue rooster" on the National Mall. A 4" model of the famous Hahn / Cock sculpture on the roof of the National Gallery of Art's East Building is now perched on an East Building replica inside the United States Botanic Garden. And both the building model and the Hahn / Cock model are made from plant parts.

For over 20 years, the U.S. Botanic Garden has displayed iconic D.C. landmarks such as the U.S. Capitol and the Smithsonian Castle recreated out of hundreds of plant parts as part of its holiday exhibit.

"When we added a model of the National Gallery of Art East Building in 2021, visitors immediately began asking for the famous 'blue rooster,'" said Dr. Susan K. Pell, executive director. "It's a joy to receive a model of it made from plants made for us by our colleagues at the National Gallery and to put it on display for our visitors."

National Gallery exhibition designer Brian Sentman handcrafted the model from blue eucalyptus leaves, beechnut seed, paulownia, cockscomb, and lamb's ear buds - all of which were grown locally, including some grown on-site at the National Gallery. The original sculpture of Hahn / Cock was created by artist Katherina Fritsch in 2013 from painted glass fiber-reinforced polyester resin on stainless steel armature.

The new plant-based little blue rooster will be on display throughout the Garden's "Season's Greenings" holiday exhibit, which runs through Jan. 5, 2025. The exhibit is open 10 am - 5 pm daily, closed Dec. 25. It is free and tickets are not required. Plan your holiday visit at www.USBG.gov/Holiday

###

Media contacts: Devin Dotson, U.S. Botanic Garden, 202-306-6743 [email protected]

Christina Paluvai, National Gallery of Art, [email protected]

Online folder of images, b-roll, timelapse

About the United States Botanic Garden

The United States Botanic Garden (USBG) is the oldest continuously operating public garden in the United States, established by Congress in 1820. The U.S. Botanic Garden inspires people to appreciate, study, and conserve plants to enrich society locally and globally. With over a million visitors annually, the USBG strives to demonstrate and promote sustainable practices. It is a living plant museum accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and Botanic Gardens Conservation International. www.USBG.gov

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.