By Patrick Hedlund
DNAinfo News Editor
LOWER EAST SIDE — The New Museum is showing off its flower power.
The contemporary art museum just unveiled its newest exterior artwork, installing a nearly 30-foot-high rose sculpture on the Bowery building's façade over the weekend.
The piece, "Rose II" (2008) by German artist Isa Genzken, replaces the longstanding "Hell, Yes!" sculpture that graced the museum's second-floor ledge since the new building opened three years ago.
"Rose II," which depicts a solitary rose standing upright that is illuminated at night, is just the second work to be featured as part of the museum's rotating exterior art program.
Artist Ugo Rondinone's 2001 "Hell, Yes!" sculpture featured the words spelled out in the colors of the rainbow and became a beacon for the new building after it opened in December 2007. The piece was so popular that it was acquired and donated to the museum by several trustees, and will be reinstalled in another location soon.
The new sculpture's more subtle appearance was not lost on observers passing by the work this week.
"It caught my eye," said Swetha Kanaan, 16, of New Jersey, who walked by the museum Monday night with her family. "The lighting makes it dramatic."
Across the street from the New Museum, employees at a women's boutique whose windows look out on the sculpture said they preferred the enthusiasm of the previous installation.
"I think it's definitely less eye-catching than 'Hell, Yes!'" said Abby Hoe, the owner of Miss Hoe at the corner of Prince Street. "It kind of seems like it changed with the season. What is it? A valentine? It's a question of what it is."
Another employee said the "Hell, Yes!" piece better represented the area, which is booming with new art galleries and nightlife.
"The other one fit the mood of the neighborhood," added Nicole D'Anna, of the Lower East Side. "It's eclectic."
"Rose II" was originally created by Genzken in 1993, but reprised in 2008. The artist is known for her large installations and site-specific sculptures.
"To me, New York had a direct link with sculpture," Genzken said in a statement. "[It] is a city of incredible stability and solidity."
