Haug Rainbow Fountain creates temporary rainbows over river in Pforzheim
A public artwork in Pforzheim, Germany, produces temporary rainbows over the Enz River using a bronze sculpture that releases water vapor at precise moments of natural sunlight. Titled Haug Rainbow Fountain, it was created by the German-Icelandic artist duo Veronika Sedlmair and Brynjar Sigurðarson, curated by Jules van den Langenberg, and commissioned for ORNAMENTA 2024, a biennial contemporary art and design festival held across the Black Forest region since 1989. The sculpture depicts a hooded creature with ambiguous features perched atop a pole, gazing skyward. High-tech sensors trigger a mist of water vapor from its head exactly when sunlight angles through the particles to form a rainbow. The artists cited Icelandic folklore, where rainbows are bridges between humans and elves, as inspiration for the elf-like water spirit. The work took three years to complete, blending craftsmanship and technology. ORNAMENTA 2024 runs from July 5 to September 29, 2024.
Key facts
- Haug Rainbow Fountain is a public artwork in Pforzheim, Germany.
- It creates temporary rainbows over the Enz River.
- The sculpture is made of bronze and releases water vapor.
- It was created by Veronika Sedlmair and Brynjar Sigurðarson.
- The work was curated by Jules van den Langenberg.
- It was commissioned for ORNAMENTA 2024.
- ORNAMENTA is a biennial festival held in the Black Forest since 1989.
- The artists are German-Icelandic and cited Icelandic folklore.
Entities
Artists
- Veronika Sedlmair
- Brynjar Sigurðarson
Institutions
- ORNAMENTA
Locations
- Pforzheim
- Germany
- Enz River
- Black Forest