The Awakening

Looking at the Post online this morning, I caught a glimpse of this photo and article, and for a second thought I was reading the Washington Post.  Nope, I was reading the St. Louis Post, just as I'd intended. 

I was confused.  The Awakening is a distinctive sculpture--why would I be seeing it in the St. Louis paper?  We often went to see it in DC when we were roaming around Hains Point (until they moved it to National Harbor in 2008).  When I first saw the photo, I wondered if the photo had been taken in DC and used for the article about the Executive Director.  I was half right.  When I looked at the Chesterfield Arts website I learned that Chesterfield Arts is home to the second casting from the original The Awakening mold. 

Who knew? 

Brought to life by J. Seward Johnson, The Awakening first came to DC in 1980.  It's enormous. 4,700 pounds.  5 pieces. 17 feet tall at its highest point.  70 feet long. And its a bit disturbing to see this figure seemingly rising up out of the earth.  

A visit to Chesterfield Arts is in order to introduce the boys to the Giant.