LACMA Acquires Monumental “Living” Sculpture By Jeff Koons

Jeff Koons’ Split-Rocker sculpture at LACMA

Jeff Koons, “Split-Rocker,” 2000, installed at Versailles, Paris, 2008. (Photo: Laurent Lecat)

It’s no secret that Jeff Koons is a master of pop art. Since the 1980s, Koons has created some of the world’s most recognizable sculptures, ranging from giant balloon animals and the Incredible Hulk to Hoover vacuums and the Pink Panther. Across the entirety of his practice, play and humor are clearly at the forefront, and Split-Rocker is no exception. Now, an artist’s proof of the monumental sculpture has found a new—and permanent—home at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).

Towering at a height of 37 feet, Split-Rocker combines two child-like and nostalgic forms: half of a pony’s head, and half of a dinosaur’s head, both simplified to the point of appearing appropriately cartoonish. More than 50,000 plants bloom across the sculpture, completely covering its surface while being supported by an internal irrigation system. Each season, these flowers transform, evolve, and alter the profile, texture, and character of Split-Rocker, reinforcing its status as both a surreal and “living” sculpture. To accommodate California’s climate, LACMA’s edition of Split-Rocker will be outfitted with drought-tolerant flowers and plants, curated by a dedicated team of local horticulturalists.

LACMA’s acquisition of Split-Rocker also kicks off a new chapter for the institution. Gifted by Lynda and Stewart Resnick, the sculpture will anchor the public gardens surrounding the David Geffen Galleries, which will open in 2026 and house the museum’s permanent collection. In preparation for its opening, LACMA is also planning a “robust program of outdoor public art” throughout the 3.5-acre park. Alongside Koons, the garden will feature sculptures and works by Liz Glynn, Thomas Houseago, Shio Kusaka, Pedro Reyes, and Diana Thater.

Since 2000, both the artist’s proof and first edition of Split-Rocker have traveled around the world, having been exhibited at the Fondation Beyeler, Rockefeller Center, Palais des Papes, and Versailles. As of 2013, the sculpture’s first edition is on permanent display at the Glenstone Museum in Maryland.

“Jeff is a master of bringing bold playfulness together with layers of deeper artistic meaning,” Michael Govan, LACMA’s CEO and Wallis Annenberg director, says in a statement. “We’re thrilled to welcome this living sculpture to LACMA, where it will greet visitors, pedestrians, and traffic along Wilshire Boulevard.”

LACMA anticipates seeding Split-Rocker later this summer, with hopes for it to be fully bloomed by next April. Uniquely, among four of Koons’ flower sculptures worldwide, LACMA’s Split-Rocker will be “alive and growing year-round in the mild climate of Southern California,” as Govan enthusiastically adds.

To learn more about Split-Rocker and the opening of the David Geffen Galleries, visit LACMA’s website.