Minneapolis, Minnesota

Hahn/Cock

One of two giant blue cockerel statues erected with an intentional double meaning.

The giant blue cock(erel) in Minneapolis is one of two created; the other one originally stood on the Forth Plinth at London’s Trafalgar Square, and is now displayed in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.

Standing over 20 feet tall, this fiberglass statue by German artist Katerina Fritsch is a striking feature of the sculpture garden at the Walker Art Centre.

Its pair is equally striking. The London Hahn/Cock was put on display in 2013, at which point it attracted numerous attempts at humor in the press, generally associated with the erection of a big cock in the square.

The double entendre is intentional: The artist has said she considers the statue a feminist work, a satire on the male object being placed on a pedestal. The sly humor applies to both parts of the title; the German word “hahn” carries all the same meanings as “cock” does in English.

Apart from the nearby “Spoonbridge and Cherry” sculpture, the big blue bird is the most eye-catching of the works in this fantastic Minneapolis sculpture garden.