A cubic fountain for world water day

I have been writing a lot about the war in Ukraine recently, for it constitutes the most dramatic world event Europe — and the West at large, for that matter — have witnessed in decades. And it is still very much ongoing, with Ukrainian forces remarkably managing to keep Putin’s army at bay after weeks of battle. And Putin throwing rallies as a diversion, the likes of which Trump would die for. While people are actually dying…

Today, I thought I would mention another topic that is, sadly, also grave cause for concern: the environment. And, more specifically, the access to (drinkable) water. While that is an issue a war-torn Ukraine does experience today, it also happens to be a challenge in many other parts of the world, increasingly so with the global warming phenomenon any sensible individual in said world will agree exists.

This Tuesday, March 22, will mark the 30th World Water Day, an annual event started by the United Nations. For this occasion, my partner in crime, the great Parisian artist Jordane Saget, came up with something quite remarkable (although he would be too modest to say it): the creation of a 3,6meter-high cubic fountain that will be presented for one day only on Paris’ République square, with a tap on one end connected to a water tank on the other.

That water tank is provided by French NGO Solidarités International, who are organizing the event and whose core purpose is to provide access to water anywhere in the world. We are thrilled to be part of this outstanding initiative, hoping that it will help, however incrementally, to tackle the immense — and growing — issue at hand. Should you wish to know more, perhaps even contribute, here is our dedicated page:

https://www.jordanesaget.com/jme

You can actually pre-order exact replicas of the metal panels used to create the fountain, each featuring a unique design drawn by Jordane. Not only are they quite striking works of art, but you would be helping out a remarkable cause. Either way, we hope all Parisians can make it on March 22nd and see the masterpiece up close…

PS. If you are not based in France, Belgium or Switzerland and are interested in ordering a panel, let me know and we’ll discuss shipping details.

PS #2. The cube is of course a reference to cubic meters, water’s main measuring unit throughout the world…