65-Foot Hot Dog Sculpture Returns to New York City's Times Square

A 65-foot-long hot dog sculpture returned to Times Square on Wednesday, July 22 ^[1].

The installation serves as a public art celebration for the 250th anniversary of the United States ^[2]. By placing a giant version of a quintessential American food in the center of New York City, the artists aim to mark the national milestone through pop-culture imagery.

Artists Jen Catron and Paul Outlaw created the piece, titled “Hot Dog: The Second Serving” ^[3]. The sculpture, which measures approximately 20 meters in length ^[4], was re-installed after a two-year absence from the public eye ^[5].

The return of the sculpture coincides with the nationwide festivities surrounding the U.S. semiquincentennial. The scale of the work is designed to compete with the massive digital billboards and towering architecture of the Midtown Manhattan district, creating a surreal contrast for tourists and locals alike.

Catron and Outlaw have a history of creating large-scale, whimsical installations that challenge the traditional boundaries of public art. This specific piece uses the imagery of the hot dog to evoke a sense of shared American identity, and leisure. The installation is positioned to be highly visible to the thousands of pedestrians who navigate the intersection daily.

Because the work is titled as a "second serving," it references the sculpture's previous presence in the city. The artists said they chose this timing to ensure the piece was integrated into the official celebrations of the country's 250th birthday ^[2].