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Fons Americanus

Fons Americanus was a sculpture by American artist Kara Walker, formed as a functional fountain adorned with allegorical scenes and figures. It was displayed in Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall from late 2019 to early 2020, and was destroyed at the end of its run there. The work addresses the slave trade and the impact of European settlement and exploitation on Africa and the Caribbean. Walker said the Victoria Memorial on The Mall inspired the piece, and the fountain also alludes to other artworks and historical events, including John Singleton Copley’s Watson and the Shark and Winslow Homer’s The Gulf Stream. It later appeared in the 2021 music video for “Don’t Judge Me” by FKA twigs, Headie One, and Fred again..

Fons Americanus by Kara Walker, a large white tiered fountain with sculpted figures and sea creatures inside a vast industrial hall.
Fons Americanus by Kara Walker rises in Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall as a large tiered fountain with sculpted figures and sea creatures.
February 2020 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Fons Americanus sculpture in Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall, with visitors gathered around the base and water spraying from figures at the top.
Fons Americanus by Kara Walker on display in Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall, with visitors looking up at the installation.
February 2020 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Fons Americanus fountain sculpture in Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall with visitors gathered around it
Fons Americanus rises in the Tate Modern Turbine Hall, surrounded by visitors.
February 2020 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Fons Americanus fountain in the Turbine Hall at Tate Modern, surrounded by visitors.
Fons Americanus by Kara Walker in Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall, with visitors gathered around the fountain.
February 2020 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Two white figurative sculptures from Fons Americanus, one seated in a tricorn hat and formal jacket beside a kneeling figure with clasped hands.
Two figures from Kara Walker’s Fons Americanus on display in Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall.
February 2020 © · CC BY-SA 4.0

Identification

TitleFons Americanus
TypeFunctional fountain sculpture

Creator

ArtistKara Walker
Artist nationalityAmerican
Artist involvement in model-makingWalker personally designed the models for the figures

Physical characteristics

FeaturesA female figure at the top of the fountain
Water source depictionWater is depicted as originating from the female figure's breasts and slashed throat
DecorationAdorned with allegorical scenes and figures
FormEnormous Victorian-inspired fountain
Height13 meters

Materials

MaterialsCork, metal, wood, and jesmonite
Design intentionDesigned to be recyclable

Historical context

Commissioned byTate Modern
Part of seriesYes
Series funded byHyundai Motor Company
Other artists in the seriesTania Bruguera, Philippe Parreno, and Abraham Cruzvillegas
InspirationThe Victoria Memorial on The Mall
How the inspiration was first seenFrom the window of a car

Location and ownership

LocationTate Modern's Turbine Hall

History and restoration

FateDestroyed at the end of its display period
Display periodLate 2019 to early 2020

Iconography and meaning

Subject matterThe transatlantic slave trade and the impact of European colonization and exploitation in Africa and the Caribbean
IconographyEvokes slavery, colonization, and exploitation through allegorical statues, figures, and scenes; alludes to other artworks and historical events
Referenced artworksWatson and the Shark by John Singleton Copley; The Gulf Stream by Winslow Homer

Significance

Critical receptionRachel Spence of The Financial Times praised the work for rising to the challenge of the Turbine Hall and for its use of water for the sound it produces, comparing it favorably to sound art dependent on audio recordings

Other

Media appearanceFeatured in the 2021 music video for 'Don't Judge Me' by FKA twigs, Headie One, and Fred again..
Music video commentaryEmmanuel Adjei said the fountain was the setting and spirit of the film and added depth and meaning by evoking shared history and the painful history of slavery and colonization