One of the works of art currently being installed on LACMA’s campus is Jeff Koons’s Split-Rocker (2000), a monumental sculpture that is quite literally alive. This 37-foot-tall work of art is inspired by the form of children’s toys—one half a simplified pony’s head, the other half a dinosaur’s—combined into a single playful form “painted” with a colorful palette of plants. Though the final count is in flux, it will take over 45,000 plants to complete the sculpture, which will anchor the ground-level public spaces of the new David Geffen Galleries south of Wilshire Boulevard.
Split-Rocker is an edition of 1 plus an artist’s proof. The artist's proof, which will be on view at LACMA, has been exhibited at Fondation Beyeler (2012) and Rockefeller Center (2014). The first edition has been on view at the Palais des Papes (2000) and Chateau de Versailles (2008–09) and is on permanent display at Glenstone, Maryland (2013–ongoing).
Unlike previous versions of the sculpture, which contain annual plants, LACMA’s Split-Rocker will have flowers and plants suited to Southern California’s climate, which will allow it to flower and grow year-round. Its blend of drought-tolerant perennials and succulents were carefully selected for the mild climate of Southern California and for their specific use in the sculpture. Koons, along with teams of art handlers, plant specialists, and many others, have been working both on and off LACMA’s campus to realize the artist’s vision for the sculpture, which is tailored to its locale.
“The plants were chosen to meet the project aesthetics as well as handle the somewhat extreme growing conditions. Southern California has a very different climate than the other permanent installation sites,” said Kathy Wishard of LRM Landscape Architecture, who has been working with Koons on the project. The plants need to be tolerant of the low humidity, low rainfall, and mild winters of Los Angeles. “Due to this along with LACMA’s own sustainability mission, the team was asked to approach this plant palette differently than past installations—to design a palette of permanent, mostly drought-tolerant planting, in place of water-intensive annuals needing seasonal replacement.”
These plants had to suit not only Koons’s aesthetic vision and the Los Angeles climate, but also the physical form of the artwork. “Because of the 3D nature of the sculpture, plants grow in all directions, including upside down, in thin soil,” said Wishard. “Unlike the rest of the sculpture, the chin area is upside down, shady and wet, requiring a unique palette of its own.”
After intensive research, consultations with Koons, and rounds of mockups and tests, the team settled on an adaptive plant palette comprising species of dudleyas, sedums, aeoniums, crassula, lantana, gazania, and erigeron “that can thrive in a range of local environmental conditions, embody a Southern California vibe, don’t grow too big or tall, and meet the color story unique to this project.” Split-Rocker, however, is made up of much more than just plants, and the amount of hardware required to support its living components is massive. Underneath the colorful carpet of plants, which are planted across over 3,400 square feet of surface area, is a layer of 110 tons of wet soil, supported by a metal superstructure, including nearly 20,000 pieces of hardware. Since the sculpture is hollow, its internal irrigation system can also be accessed from the inside.
Although the plants selected for this version of Split-Rocker are suited to their climate and require relatively little water, their care will be an ongoing project. “Some replanting will likely be required over time as different species dominate, and eventually some pruning of the perennials to contain growth,” said Wishard. Regular monitoring, adjustments, watering, and maintenance will all be part of the life of the sculpture, even though Koons has said that some things are “in nature’s hands” when working with living artwork like Split-Rocker: “The balance between control and giving up control reminds us of the polarity of existence.” As the sculpture flowers, grows, and changes, its existence will continue to depend both on the hand of nature and some very deliberate human care, the results of which will be enjoyed by visitors to LACMA very soon.
The acquisition, installation, and future maintenance of Split-Rocker is made possible by a generous gift from LACMA life trustee Lynda Resnick and her husband, Stewart, through their foundation.