About those $50,000 artistic drinking fountains... | State of the Arts | Minnesota Public Radio
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Artists, Students and Community collaborate to create the Drinking Fountain Sculpture and Plaza
Cast Bronze Drinking Fountain Sculpture Design
CLICK ON PHOTO to go to City of Minneapolis info page
Sculpture Fountain
Gita Ghei, Sara Hanson and JanLouise Kusske are co-creating a drinking fountain sculpture that will be placed at the YWCA at Lake Street and Hiawatha Avenue this fall.
Water - River - Community
This one of a kind sculptural fountain celebrates and honors water as the foundation of life. The imagery encourages exploration into Minnesota’s rich geology and fosters civic dialogue regarding water conservation and the notion of public ownership of water.
We chose a classical fountain design because of its history as an inclusive gathering place. Using cast metal in the place of free flowing water, we hope to highlight the fact that water is a limited resource to be conserved and shared as a privilege. Ornate decoration, rock formations and cast metal details echo the Midwest grotto style. Grottos exhibit regional concepts and materials, offering a sacred and communal space.
The sculpture includes the three forms of water, gas/molecule, liquid, and solid-ice. The passage of time is equated with the water passage from spring to river to gulf. The references to Minnesota’s geology are numerous and include different rock types, glaciation, and water’s capacity to erode and flood.
We chose a classical fountain design because of its history as an inclusive gathering place. Using cast metal in the place of free flowing water, we hope to highlight the fact that water is a limited resource to be conserved and shared as a privilege. Ornate decoration, rock formations and cast metal details echo the Midwest grotto style. Grottos exhibit regional concepts and materials, offering a sacred and communal space.
The sculpture includes the three forms of water, gas/molecule, liquid, and solid-ice. The passage of time is equated with the water passage from spring to river to gulf. The references to Minnesota’s geology are numerous and include different rock types, glaciation, and water’s capacity to erode and flood.
Student and Community Involvement
Student-artists from South High School in Minneapolis are participating in a sculpture and writing residency with the artists. The students sculpted their imagery and words related to our discussions into the metal molecule relief sculptures. Their artwork comes from studying fossils of the pre-historic ocean and identifying the many languages of the neighborhood – the diversity of life. The bronze molecules will be set in the concrete bench on the plaza around the fountain.
Contributing South High Student-Artists
Marcus Aponte, Macy Cockbearn, Zak Doyle, Patrick Grafing, Aubrey Miller, Amanda Mills, Austin Peterson, Sam Philpot, Andrew Reina, Stevie Yanez, and Eli Zabloski.
Related Websites
- Food and Water watch, big companies stealing water overseas and selling it or selling free water.
- Friends of the Mississippi River. This organization has outreach programs for many levels of volunteerism
- Get the facts: How much do citizens pay for clean tap water? City of Minneapolis website.
- Heart of the Beast Theater - Reinvigorate the common well!
- Local: Recycling water and making rain barrels. Rain barrels are an easy way to conserve water and keep our fresh water lakes clean, make your own to use or sell, City of Minneapolis Website link
- Mayor R.T. Rybak's blog-page regarding artist fountains
- The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, how to stop the bottled water trend
THANK YOU
Mary Altman, City of Minneapolis Public Arts Administrator
Casting Creations, Foundry, Howard Lake, MN
Max Cast, Foundry, Kalona, Iowa
UMN Geological Survey, Alan Knaeble
Max Cora, Fabricator
Mayor R.T. Rybak our Mayor
Sandy Speiler, founder of In The Heart of the Beast Theater
Denny Sponsler, Art Teacher at South High School
YWCA-Midtown, Partnership and location of the fountain
Contributing student-artists at South High School
Casting Creations, Foundry, Howard Lake, MN
Max Cast, Foundry, Kalona, Iowa
UMN Geological Survey, Alan Knaeble
Max Cora, Fabricator
Mayor R.T. Rybak our Mayor
Sandy Speiler, founder of In The Heart of the Beast Theater
Denny Sponsler, Art Teacher at South High School
YWCA-Midtown, Partnership and location of the fountain
Contributing student-artists at South High School
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