Freshwater is a public fountain commissioned by Philadelphia Contemporary. It showcases the incredible capacity of freshwater mussels, an endangered native species responsible for cleaning and filtering water. This installation highlights the mussels’ role in restoring blue infrastructure and juxtaposes it with the polluted river water of Philadelphia’s Cherry Street Pier. The fountain pumps water from the river through the structure housing live freshwater mussels. The cleaned water then falls onto a bed of unused vintage pearl buttons produced as a consequence of overconsumption. This project is an urgent call to care for the freshwater mussels as vital to our healthy, living ecology and our drinking water.

Freshwater mussels loaned by The Discovery Center and Fairmount Water Works.