From 19 August, fire hoses, nozzles and other technical elements at the Bunky na Looke community and cultural space in Trenčín will be transformed into a live art fountain. The participatory installation ‘Disaster Fountain’ by the internationally renowned artist duo Nomeda and Gediminas Urbonas will use water, mist, sound and movement to create an environment that visitors can step right into. The event is part of the Trenčín 2026 – European Capital of Culture programme and admission is free.
The Disaster Fountain responds to the increasingly frequent periods of extreme heat and highlights the importance of water in the urban environment. However, instead of a traditional fountain, visitors will see six sculptural objects connected by fire hoses. Whilst they function as separate objects in public space when dry, once activated they transform into a dynamic system creating water mist, acoustic resonances and constantly changing water patterns. Spectators are not merely observers – they can cool off, step into the streams of water and become part of the artwork itself.
“The Disaster Fountain presents water not only as a natural resource, but also as a medium capable of connecting people, public space and care for the city. An important part of the work is the opportunity to step inside it and experience it first-hand – to cool off, listen to it and, for a moment, become part of it,” says Lýdia Pribišová, curator of the Aqua Vitae project.
When fire-fighting equipment becomes an artistic instrument
The artwork was created in collaboration with the Opatovce Volunteer Fire Department. Their equipment, technical expertise and working methods became an integral part of the artistic process. Fire hoses, nozzles, fire-resistant fabrics and structural elements are transformed within the installation into a hydraulic environment that combines the practical function of water with an artistic experience.
The visual form of the objects also draws inspiration from the mysterious 15th-century Voynich Manuscript, whose illustrations of plants, baths, hydraulic systems and unknown rituals have defied unambiguous interpretation for centuries. Nomeda and Gediminas Urbonas translate this imagery into the contemporary public space, creating an environment in which water becomes a source of movement, energy and shared experience.
The Disaster Fountain was created as part of the Aqua Vitae curatorial programme, prepared for Trenčín 2026 by curator Lýdia Pribišová. Through interdisciplinary, site-specific and participatory art projects, the programme explores the themes of water and the River Váh. It connects art with the natural environment and offers new perspectives on water management, the future of rivers and freshwater ecosystems in the region. More information here: https://www.trencin2026.eu/en/podujatie/disaster-fountain/
The artists have exhibited in Venice, São Paulo and Gwangju
Nomeda and Gediminas Urbonas are from Lithuania and, in their work, they combine art, research, education, ecology and public space. They founded the Urbonas Studio platform, which brings together artists, scientists, designers and local communities. Their projects have been presented at major international exhibitions, including the Venice Biennale, documenta, and the biennales in São Paulo and Gwangju. Gediminas Urbonas is a professor in the Art, Culture and Technology programme at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), whilst Nomeda Urbonas is a research associate at MIT.
The Trenčín 2026 project is financially supported by the City of Trenčín, the Trenčín Self-Governing Region and the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic. The European Union is a partner in the project.
Media contact:
Tereza Fojtová /tereza.fojtova@trencin2026.eu / +421 918 412 621 www.trencin2026.eu
