Puppy, Bilbao

The Guggenheim Museum of Bilbao has a 16-ton flower puppy to guard it. The 43-foot-high West Highland White Terrier sculpture is the creation of Pop-Surrealist artist Jeff Koons. In "Puppy," Koons has joined topics like Topiary and dog breeding with Chia Pets and Kitschy greeting cards. His intent is "to entice" and to inspire "confidence."

Puppy has stood guard in front of the museum since 1997. He has been covered with a "skin" of flowers changed twice a year to fit the season. Pansies and primroses are for autumn and winter. Begonias, impatiens, and petunias serve for spring and summer. It takes 20 people and nine days to plant 38,000 flowers for Puppy's coat, all patchy and bright.

The Puppy is anchored in concrete. The substructure of stainless steel is wrapped in turf, mesh, and a textile medium that secures the inner coat and promotes plant growth. A web of plumbing feeds and waters the flowers. Puppy sits and waits for visitors to pose with him for selfies. Picture takers often back up to capture his image in full frame.