Stravinsky Fountain

Photo by Insecula

In 1982, French artist Niki de Saint-Phalle (1930-2002) and her Swiss husband Jean Tinguely (1925-1991) created the fanciful figures for the Stravinsky Fountain, located just south of and adjacent to the Centre Georges Pompidou's Music Center. 16 mechanical kinetic sculptures inspired by Igor Stravinsky's music gyrate and blow water in a distinctly avant-garde creation; the brightly painted sculptures are by Niki, and the iron pieces are by her husband. The Stravinsky Fountain, (also called Fontaine des automates), has the striking Église Saint-Merri, a Renaissance-era church built in Gothic style, as a surprisingly complementary background. In fact, much of the fountain’s charm relies on the juxtaposition of dashing, contemporary design with centuries-old buildings.