luzinterruptus: drinking water running through the streets

‘agua potable corriendo por las calles’ (‘drinking water running through the streets’) by luzinterruptus all images © gustavo sanabria

in their installation ‘agua potable corriendo por las calles‘ (‘drinking water running through the streets’), spanish art collective luzinterruptus reclaimed four unused public water fountains, ‘bringing them back to life for a few hours‘ with a light installation that resembles water cascading from the spigots.

in under thirty years, luzinterruptus explains, more than 50% of madrid’s public water fountains have been lost: either dismantled, broken, or without water. ‘we wanted to say that water is necessary for life and that the fountains that are used for drinking and refreshing ourselves seem much more necessary and beautiful to us than those which are merely ornamental.’

the installation uses over 200 glass vials (originally used to house infant vitamin supplements), collected over the course of four months. the project was installed over the course of four hours.

full and top views of one of the installations