Building on a body of work artist Pamela Council refers to as ‘Fountains for Black Joy,’ A Fountain for Survivors is both an ode to the ways in which we maintain ourselves and an exuberant life-affirming monument for survivors of all kinds. Adorned with a handmade mosaic of hundreds of thousands of acrylic fingernails, a massive cocoon-like structure houses a tiered water fountain inside a warm, welcoming, and enveloping space. Council’s largest public artwork to date, A Fountain for Survivors will be on view and accessible to all in Times Square’s most iconic plaza, Duffy Square, from October 14 to December 8, 2021.

Mirroring the spectacular and vibrant vernacular of Times Square itself, Council’s maximalist installation features glimmering fingernails, kinetic illumination, and swaths of bold colors across the extraordinary 18-foot tall carapace — the artwork’s protective, hooded outer shell. Meanwhile, the intimate interior hosting the artist-designed water feature welcomes visitors with a range of sensory experiences including heat, sound, and scent. Council envisions this fountain as an offering to Survivors.

At the lucky hours of 11:11am and 5:55pm, public art ambassadors will be handing out a limited number of Wishing Wafers — soluble coin-shaped wafers scented with the essential oils of Florida Water, a cologne known for its purifying and healing properties. Unwrap the golden foil, toss a wafer into the water and make a fizzy wish!

A Fountain for Survivors is a sheltered fountain in an iconic public space. Adorned and protected by a carapace of hundreds of thousands of acrylic fingernails, this fountain is my dedication and offering to Survivors and is open to the public that is outside in Times Square. On the topic of definition, Survivors know who they are; no one else can proclaim that for you. Conceived and created during a time when we are socially distanced, my goal with this work is to make a temporary monument that mirrors the experiences of masking & interiority that many have known, and which have now become a part of all of our lives. I started working with acrylic fingernails, that Black femme craft and protective style, over 13 years ago, and they have since become ubiquitous. So, I am most excited about the expressions of imagination that this work already has and will continue to inspire.”

— Pamela Council

As with much of their work, Council’s installation creates a distinct dynamic that treads the line between the familiar and the unexpected. Defined by exuberant color, elaborate adornments, and an Afro-Americana camp aesthetic the artist calls BLAXIDERMY, Council’s ‘Fountains for Black Joy’ explore nostalgia and grooming rituals that are both personal and political and are intended to make space for healing and pleasure. In previous works, water is replaced in fountains with bubbling bright red soda and cascades of Luster's Pink Lotion.

“Fountains have this way of working in culture as meeting places, as gathering places, and places where people make wishes, giving people this ebullient sense of hope,” Council told Artnet News. “I hope people feel that, and are also inspired by the imaginative ways that I use materials.”

— artnet, Times Square Is Getting Its First Fountain—and It’s a Monumental Public Artwork Covered in 400,000 Acrylic Nails

Council and Times Square Arts have presented two events in conjunction with A Fountain for Survivors:

Carapace Cabaret
November 12, 9pm, Duffy Square
In conjunction with Pamela Council’s sculptural installation and their Midnight Moment across the billboards of Times Square, Carolines on Broadway and Times Square Arts teamed up to present a night of live comedy, music, and performance. Free and open to all, and timed to coincide with New York Comedy Festival, the event featured Becca O'Neal, Derek Gaines, RaFia Santana, and Nelson Bandela, with host Chanel Ali.

Is Your House in Order?
November 16, 6pm, virtual
Pamela Council joined estate lawyer Lori Anne Douglass, Esq. in conversation about legacy and estate planning for Black families. They discussed Council's artwork Velvet Will, and created Council's last will and testament together on Zoom — all while providing helpful guidance for workshop participants on how you can create your own will and get your house in order.