George Sugarman’s iconic painted aluminum sculpture was commissioned in 1988 by the North Carolina National Bank (NCNB) for a site on the corner of Kennedy Boulevard and Ashley Drive in front of Rivergate Tower, designed by Harry Wolf. In 2011, ACP Pinnacle LLC donated it to the City of Tampa and it was moved to its current location in the roundabout on Channelside Drive. The untitled, dynamic sculpture invites multiple interpretations and consideration of its surrealist, cubist, baroque and abstract expressionist influences. By contrast, the colloquialism of the “exploding chicken” coined by Tampa columnist Steve Otto obfuscates a more nuanced engagement with the sculpture, which continues to inspire and delight visitors and the Tampa community.
Curated by Margaret Miller, director of the University of South Florida Contemporary Art Museum, Graphicstudio and Public Art.
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