Spuckschluckbrunnen "acqua di hecki" - aus mir fur Dich

The artwork Spuckschluckbrunnen “acqua di hecki” – aus mir für Dich by Kati Heck is an intriguing drinking fountain in the form of a bronze portrait. It depicts a head – a self-portrait of the artist – with its mouth wide open to release a jet of water. As the title suggests, the water flows from the artist’s mouth into the mouth of the thirsty passerby. The piece is set on a rectangular bronze pedestal engraved with the word “drankfontein” (“drinking fountain”). 

The fountain serves both a practical and an aesthetic purpose. Heck incorporates the human form and expression into an everyday object such as a fountain, resulting in a humorous and slightly unsettling visual impact. Heck’s fountain on Ossenmarkt is a lasting trace of 21ste eeuw buiten! (21st Century Outdoors!), a temporary exhibition organised by the Antwerp Fine Arts Academy.  

Kati Heck (b. 1979 in Düsseldorf) lives and works in Pulle, Belgium. She is best known for her striking yet enigmatic paintings, in which she explores the tension between virtuosic realism and unrestrained fantasy. Her oeuvre also encompasses sculpture, photography, film, and performance. She draws inspiration from art and literary history, local folklore, and her own everyday surroundings.