11fountains Sloten
In Sloten, you see a man carrying a girl on his shoulders. She gently holds a lapwing in her hands. Beneath them is a stack of buckets, jerry cans and basins, with water flowing through them. This is the Lapwing (Kievit), the 11fountains artwork in Sloten.
The fountain was created by the artist duo Lucy and Jorge Orta. Their work explores water, nature and the way we interact with both. In Sloten, these themes come together in an artwork that feels familiar while pointing to something much larger
Lapwing
The girl holds a lapwing in her hands, a bird whose population is under pressure in Friesland. The man carries her as they rise above the water. Beneath them are everyday objects with water flowing through them.
The buckets and basins show how readily available water is here. They also point to places where access to water is far less certain. The fountain makes this difference visible in the heart of the city.
📍 G.G. van der Walplein, Sloten
Lapwing | Sloten - nearby
Starting point - for your city trip
In Sloten, you come across the fountain at the entrance to the city. Its height and striking shape make it impossible to miss. Along your route past the 11fountains, this is one of those places where you pause for a moment.
You look up and see the girl with the lapwing and the stack beneath them. Then you notice the flowing water. The longer you stay, the more details you discover.
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The 11fountains artwork in Sloten is called the Lapwing (Kievit). It depicts a man carrying a girl on his shoulders. She holds a bird in her hands. Beneath them, water flows through everyday objects such as buckets and basins. The fountain is part of 11fountains, a series of eleven fountains across the Frisian eleven cities.
The fountain was designed by the artist duo Lucy and Jorge Orta. Lucy Orta is from the United Kingdom, and Jorge Orta is from Argentina. Together, they create projects around the world exploring themes such as water, food and the environment.
The fountain is located on G.G. van der Walplein, at the entrance to Sloten. As you enter the city, you are greeted by the artwork straight away.
At the heart of the fountain is water as the source of life. The containers beneath the sculpture show how readily available water is here, while that is not the case in many parts of the world. The artwork makes this difference visible.
The lapwing is a bird whose population is under pressure in Friesland. In the fountain, it represents the vulnerability of nature and the importance of protecting it. The girl holding the bird in her hands reinforces this sense of care and attention.
The objects beneath the figures are universal containers used to collect and store water. They make the theme tangible and easy to understand. They also show how much we depend on water in our daily lives.
Yes, the fountain in Sloten is part of 11fountains, an international art project created in 2018 as part of Leeuwarden-Fryslân European Capital of Culture.