Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Stravinsky Fountain, also known as the Automate Fountain, was created in 1983 by artists Jean Tinguely and Niki de Saint Phalle. It is part of the artistic percentage allocated to the construction of the Centre Pompidou, with a joint public commission between the city of Paris, the Ministry of Culture and the Centre Pompidou. Owned by the city, this work evokes the musical universe of Igor Stravinsky, an iconic Russian composer of the twentieth century, symbol of eclecticism and internationalism.

The fountain is located in Igor-Stravinsky Square, near IRCAM, and consists of sixteen animated sculptures, each inspired by the musician's works. Some, such as the Fire Bird, are reinterpretations of earlier creations of Niki de Saint Phalle, while others, such as The Mermaid or Death, evoke his universe in a more allusive way. The sculptures, made of resin, metal or composite assemblies, are mechanized and integrated into water jets, creating a dynamic work designed for public space.

The creation of the fountain was supported by Claude Pompidou, despite the initial reluctance of the sponsors, still marked by the previous collaboration of the two artists for fantastic Paradise. After decades of operation, the fountain underwent major restoration between 2022 and 2023, with a budget of EUR 2 million. The work, aimed at reinvigorating the mechanical elements, resulted in an official reinauguration on 7 November 2023 by the Paris City Hall.

The sixteen sculptures, spread over a basin of 580 m2, include various figures such as Elephant, Snake, Rossignol or Ragtime. Among them, the Bird of Fire is a small version of Sun God, a monumental work by Niki de Saint Phalle inaugurated in California the same year. The fountain, by its playful and artistic character, illustrates the fusion between contemporary art, music and urban space.

The available literature mentions several bibliographical references, including works on Parisian fountains and the works of Niki de Saint Phalle and Jean Tinguely. These sources highlight the importance of the fountain in the Parisian artistic landscape, as well as its anchoring in the history of contemporary art and public commissions in France.

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