Giant Animatronic Hot Dog Coming to Times Square

A 20-meter-long self-propelled hot dog sculpture, Hot Dog in the City, will be installed in Times Square from April 30 to June 13. Created by Brooklyn-based artist duo Jen Catron and Paul Outlaw, the work features a hydraulic mechanism that raises the hot dog skyward at noon and showers passersby with confetti during celebrations. Commissioned by the Times Square Arts public art program, the piece is described by director Jean Cooney as a window into camp and contemporary culture. The project will include performances, talks, and competitions about New York's culinary heritage. Catron and Outlaw, married since 2017, are known for exaggerated works blending pop, video art, and performance. Previous installations include a giant chocolate ice cream cone and a bathroom sink at the Brooklyn Museum in 2019, critiquing American excess and consumerism.