Tinguely, Jean. (1925 - 1991) [Stravinsky, Igor. (1882 - 1971)] [Saint Phalle, Niki de. (1930 - 2002)]
"Fontaine Igor Stravinsky" (1983)
Felt-tip pen and ink on offset lithograph. 39.5 x 36 cm. (15.6 x 14.2 in.) Signed and inscribed in ink along the lower blank margin by Tinguely, with further additions by hand to the printed imagery in thick black ink (for example, the black drawings above "La Sirène" and the spouting figure on the far right of that line; the Xs on the line below; the arrow from the red heart; the spouting elephant lower right, and the section division lines and inscription to one Sali Loukas. Lower inscription including dating "7 Marz 1983...IRCAM" rather faded, vertical crease along the right perpendicular intersecting ink line, else fine.40 years after its installation, the Fontaine Stravinsky, made by Niki de Saint-Phalle and Jean Tinguely, was officially reopened in November, 2023. The project for the fountain, which opened in 1983, was commissioned by Mayor Jacques Chirac to emphasize the role of Beaubourg as a center for the arts. It was built right next to the monumental Centre Pompidou, a multicultural complex for modern art, literature and music, and atop the IRCAM, the institute of research on contemporary music and sounds. The fountain was constructed as a shallow basin, measuring approximately 6,200 square feet. Due to the IRCAM’s musical theme, Saint-Phalle and Tinguely drew inspiration from Stravinsky’s compositions, such as “The Firebird” and “The Fairy’s Kiss.”
Originally the commission was given solely to Jean Tinguely, but he requested that Niki de Saint-Phalle join him for the project so that his signature dark, metal sculptures could be balanced out with her large colorful figures. The City of Paris, who funded most of the installation, were hesitant to accept Tinguely’s request, instead suggesting that he join forces with Joan Miro. To this, he replied: “No, I’m doing it with Niki or not at all.” The result is a serendipitous ballet of colors in movement, with fantastical figures spouting water. It is one of Saint-Phalle and Tinguely’s many artistic collaborations, but certainly one of their most influential. In a letter to her friend Nicola Caracciolo, Niki wrote: “In 1960, I was one of those young artists who dreamed of an art accessible to all. La Fontaine Stravinsky is, I believe, a fine example.”
Since the fountain was built on top of the IRCAM, it had to be as light as possible. Tinguely’s forms were made of aluminum rather than his usual heavy scrap metals, and Saint-Phalle’s figures were made of lightweight fiberglass polyester. Unfortunately, over the years the Fontaine Stravinsky has sustained damage but was recognized in 2018 as part of the French National Institute of Cultural Heritage, thus allowing for its full restoration and future upkeep.
A pioneer of kinetic sculpture, Jean Tinguely drew on Dada traditions as he satirized industrial production in his fantastical metal machines. Movement was central to Tinguely’s practice, manifesting in dynamic mobiles, motor-powered assemblages, and large-scale, rotating set designs. Many of his pieces invited audience participation via buttons, levers, and other elements that viewers could push to activate the artworks. Tinguely intended for his famous, enormous Homage to New York (1960) to self-destruct in the Museum of Modern Art’s sculpture garden—it caught fire and attracted the fire department’s attention before it could entirely burn itself out. The artist exhibited widely during his lifetime, creating public sculptures and presenting work at the Museum of Modern Art, the Centre Pompidou, the Institute of Contemporary Arts, the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, the Tate, and Palazzo Grassi, among other institutions. (23184)
Art Art & Design