Museum Folkwang acquires "Rooster and Pedestal" by Katharina Fritsch
With the acquisition of "Rooster and Pedestal" (2013/2019) by Katharina Fritsch, the German Folkwang Museum expands its collection with a key work of 21st-century art.
Rooster and Pedestal" is among the best-known works of the internationally renowned sculptor. It was officially unveiled on March 7, 2026, in the presence of the artist, Minister Ina Brandes, and the Mayor of Essen, Thomas Kufen.
The luminous blue rooster was initially created in 2013 for the Fourth Plinth program in Trafalgar Square, London. The bird rises on a tall, light green pedestal. Together, the rooster and pedestal reach a height of almost four meters: the 215 cm tall rooster, made of hand-polished cast polyester, towers over the audience, exuding a presence that is both proud and fragile. The monumental enlargement of animals plays a central role in the artist's work. Rooster and Pedestal stands alongside key works such as Elephant (1987) and Rat King (1992) and is among the artist's most important recent works.
Katharina Fritsch (born 1956) is one of the most important figures in contemporary sculpture. The artist established herself early on as part of a new trend in European sculpture. Her figurative sculptures dissolve the boundaries between the ordinary and the peculiar or uncanny, touch upon deeply rooted cultural dreams and nightmares, evoke religious myths, fables and fairy tales, and awaken childhood memories.
Main Image:Katharina Fritsch, Rooster and Pedestal, 2013/2019, polyester, steel, paint, 375 x 200 x 200 cm , photo: Ivo Faber © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2026, Museum Folkwang, Essen