The Awakening (sculpture)

The Awakening (sculpture)

The Awakening is a 100-foot statue of a giant embedded in the earth, struggling to free himself, located at National Harbor in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside the District of Columbia. It was created by J. Seward Johnson, Jr. and originally installed at Hains Point (East Potomac Park), Washington, D.C. in 1980 for the International Sculpture Conference Exhibition.

The statue consists of five separate pieces buried in the ground, giving the impression of a panicked giant trying to pull himself to the surface. The left hand and right foot barely protrude, while the bent left leg and knee jut into the air. The 17-foot right arm and hand climb above the observer while the bearded face, with the mouth in mid-scream, struggles to emerge from the surrounding earth.

Although its National Park Service "temporary permit" had long expired, the statue proved so popular that it remained for 27 years at the southern end of Hains Point, across the Potomac River from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. At times, the Potomac River flooded the statue.
The Awakening at the National Harbor

In 2007, the National Park Service announced that the sculpture would be moved to the National Harbor, after the artist sold the statue for $750,000. The sculpture was excavated and removed from Hains Point on February 20, 2008, and is now installed at National Harbor.