Whale fountain by Allora & Calzadilla installed in The Netherlands
10 July 2018
Allora & Calzadilla have created a sperm whale fountain for 11 Fountains. Installed in the harbour of the maritime town of Harlingen, The Netherlands, the sculpture is a part of an international art project for Leeuwarden–Fryslan, the 2018 European Cultural Capital, to install 11 fountains by contemporary artists in 11 Frisian cities.
The artists note: "Harlingen was once a town dedicated to the whaling industry. Today, we no longer strive to kill these huge, majestic animals, but to save their lives instead. Especially now that, with increasing frequency and for reasons that remain unclear, we are finding them stranded in shallow water. The Harlingen fountain depicts a highly life-like sperm whale. He lays by the South pier as if lost, although from time to time his powerful spout provides a clear sign of life. The Whale fountain illustrates the enormous effects of human activity on all living creatures in the sea."
