NoMa intersection hatches chicken and egg sculptures

If you glimpse a large magenta chicken and an even larger multicolor egg in NoMa, no need to freak out: They comprise a two-piece sculpture called—you guessed it—“The Chicken and the Egg,” installed on National Park Service land off the intersection of North Capitol Street and New York Avenue NE. A ribbon cutting for the sculptures is slated for August 1 at 6 p.m.

Commissioned by the NoMa Business Improvement District (BID) and created by California-based designer Harry Mark, the artwork is the first product of the BID’s Gateways Project, a long-term public art initiative. “The goal is to turn these spaces into signature streetscape moments that create positive experiences for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers; provide a strong visual identity for NoMa; and celebrate the neighborhood’s history and character,” says the BID in a release. Additional sites for the initiative include the intersection of North Capitol Street and H Street NW and the intersection of New York and Florida avenues NW.

Made of fiberglass, the chicken is about 4 feet tall and stands on a utility box to the west of a curved, one-way slice of road connecting N Street NE and New York Avenue NE. The egg, meanwhile, is about 9 feet tall and hollow. It is made of aluminum, stands to the east of the roadway, and features horizontal “N”s across its shell. “The exterior is painted black, while the interior is painted in alternating bands of cyan, magenta, and yellow,” says the BID. “At the top of the interior is a solar-powered light that will make the egg glow at night and cast shadows on the surrounding sidewalks.” The BID will upkeep the installation’s surroundings.