Inappropriate Or Cool? Squirting Pink Foot Fountain In New York Sparks Debate

News18

2 days ago

Titled Foot Fountain (pink), the 10-foot-tall piece features several red-lipped mouths with tongues sticking out.
A new art installation in New York is turning heads and raising eyebrows. Installed on the High Line near 30th Street, the bright pink sculpture shaped like a giant leg and foot has sparked a mix of amusement, confusion and controversy.
Titled Foot Fountain (Pink), the 10-foot-tall piece was created by Argentine-born artist Mika Rottenberg and unveiled in April, according to the New York Post. What's drawing the most attention, though, is the surreal detail: the oversized foot is covered in red-lipped mouths with tongues sticking out, adding a bizarre twist that has left passersby either fascinated or disturbed.
One viral video posted to X (formerly Twitter) by Colling Ruggs shows a person pedalling the bike which causes the sculpture to squirt water.
'New York erects a 10-foot-tall pink 'Foot Fountain' that can squirt water out of the tip. The 'sculpture' was created by Argentine 'artist' Mika Rottenberg. New Yorkers can squirt people by activating the pedals across from the sculpture," Ruggs wrote.
'The structure is an 'irreverent take on the tradition of classical fountains that are commonly plopped into the middle of a square or in gardens, their water forever self-contained,' according to a press release. How pathetic," he added.
The post attracted a flurry of reactions, where most of the people called the structure disturbing.
One user wrote, 'This is a perfect representation of what happens when you remove a reverence for beauty and morality. Society gets disgusting."
Another added, 'Outrageously inappropriate for a public space."
Someone said, 'This is obscene," while a person commented, 'That's the grossest looking thing I've ever seen!"
While many online reactions were harsh, not everyone who encountered the sculpture in person felt the same way.
Danny R., 29, visiting from San Francisco, admitted that the sculpture made her uneasy but still found it appealing overall.
'It gives some kind of itch because of the holes and stuff coming out of it. It's disturbing. But it's cool, really cool," she told the New York Post.
For Angie R., 35, a mother from the Upper West Side, the sculpture was a fun surprise during a walk with her three children.
'The kids love it because it's really just a tall sprinkler. So they can run around it while one of them is using the bike," she said.
Tourist Katie Sareno, 27, visiting from Italy, saw it as something that could entertain both kids and adults in different ways. 'Fun for kids, but you know the adults will see the real art," she said.
The Foot Fountain (pink) is expected to remain on display along the High Line until May 2026.