Stravinsky Fountain Removed for Restoration, Set to Return in 2023

The Stravinsky Fountain, a collaborative work by Jean Tinguely and Niki de Saint Phalle located near the Centre Pompidou in Paris, was dismantled in April 2022 for long-overdue restoration. The fountain, inaugurated in 1983, features sixteen sculptures that have gradually ceased functioning, with water no longer playing through them. It is expected to return in spring 2023, possibly on May 29, the centenary of the premiere of Igor Stravinsky's 'The Rite of Spring,' which inspired several of the fountain's figures and rhythms. The ballet, choreographed by Vaslav Nijinsky, caused a scandal at its 1913 premiere at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. Pierre Boulez, founder and director of IRCAM, initially approached Tinguely to animate the plaza above the institute's recording studios. Tinguely insisted on collaborating with Saint Phalle rather than Joan Miró. The fountain's black mechanical forms by Tinguely and colorful shapes by Saint Phalle have created an enduring enchantment for 40 years. Saint Phalle expressed her desire for the works to be accessible to everyone, especially children. The fountain includes figures such as the Ballerina-Mermaid from Petrushka, the Firebird, the Elephant and Clown Hat referencing Circus Polka, and kinetic forms like the Treble Clef, Cornucopia, and Spiral. Tinguely's 1959 manifesto, quoted in the article, emphasizes movement and transformation.