Cathy's Art Diary

Fascinating online lecture from the Wallace Collection looking at the drinking fountains which Sir Richard Wallace commissioned for the city of Paris. The talk marked 150 years since the first fountain was installed and brought together Suzanne Higgott from the gallery and Barbara Lambesis from the Society of the Wallace Fountains. Higgott took us through the design and the commissioning of the fountains and how they are based on French Renaissance and Neo-classical models. She outlined the symbolism on them. Lambesis then talked about how her enthusiasm for the fountains came about and the celebrations for the anniversary in Paris. She also introduced us to the Society of Wallace Fountains and I was impressed that as well as aiming to preserve and maintain the pieces it also promotes philanthropy in the same spirit and making them a symbol for global and equal rights to clean water. I must admit I hadn’t known about these fountains before booking the talk and had popped to se...

Fun installation outside the Hayward Gallery of two fountains by Klaus Weber. There are two torsos standing the space, one headless and the other just legs. From each there are spurts of water and at regular intervals the legs one shuts down and instead a cascade of water falls from the walkway above. I love the way you come across these as you walk to the gallery, through to the National Theatre or back to the Festival Hall and they disrupt the familiar space. Closes 9 September 2022      

Fun water feature at the Serpentine Sackler Gallery by Bertrand Lavier. This fountain is made of colourful hoses that produce multiple jets of water that fall into a specially designed pool. It is great fun and such a simple idea. The hoses seem to be a random structure and I had a real urge to rearrange them and see what different it made! It’s lovely that it’s outside the café so you can sit and watch it.