Giant pink 'Foot Fountain' squirts passersby on New York City's High Line

New York City's public art continues to come under scrutiny as a new exhibit on the High Line called the "Foot Fountaion" resembles instead a giant phallus. Some locals have called it "grotesque," and the garish, Pepto Bismal pink sculpture is adorned with mouths and protruding tongues.

It also features a sprinkler that squirts water out of the top that can be operated by a pedal-powered device accessible by a nearby bench.

The sculpture will be on display on the west side's High Line through May 2026. Argentine artist Mika Rottenberg said "Foot Fountain (pink) is an overindulgent creature from my drawings. It first appeared as a small sculpture while I was doing some craft work with my daughter during the pandemic.

"The original version was conceived for the Tinguely Museum in Basel and designed as an irrigation fountain to water a flower garden in its radiant ‘footprint’—nurturing and connecting with the land it touches. Here on the High Line, instead of nurturing the well-tended gardens, I thought it should nurture and cool passersby on hot days, and share some of its overenthusiastic spirit!"

Rottenberg has shown her work around the world and across the United States. The High Line is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts as well as other public art funds in the state and city of New York.

In a 2011 interview, Rottenberg described the Marxist underpinnings of her work. The project in question was one that showcased women's labor. "Your videos would be susceptible to a feminist, and even a Marxist, analysis of production. Does it plug into that larger political structure?" Rottenberg was asked.

"The whole body of work started when I was reading Marx," Rottenberg said. "I was fascinated by the connection between value and labour and time. And I am a feminist, so that reading is not completely off. But I feel my responsibility is to make the best art piece I can and not necessarily make a political statement. I have to say that my fascination with Marx came from the way he would describe a person making something." She said however that the work wasn't meant to "conform to a political statement."

The massive "overenthusiastic" Foot Fountain replaces the previous sculpture, a giant pigeon. The work is visible from the street, as well, and the way that the guard rails are positioned, it will be hard to see the base of the sculpture from below, just the pink phallic-shaped squirting protrusion will be visible.

"With artwork like 'Foot Fountain (pink)' and temperatures averaging 7.2°F lower than the surrounding neighborhoods on Manhattan's West Side, the High Line is one of the "coolest" places for New Yorkers to spend their summer days," the High Line said on Instagram, publicizing the new work.

"If you find yourself on the park looking for a moment of reprieve from the season's warm temperatures, pay a visit to 'Foot Fountain (pink)' at the northern end of the High Line!" They write.

In response to the post, Instagram users replied incredulously that the sculpture was meant to be what Rottenberg claims it is. "A foot, you say?" asked one user.

Another said, "So just so we're clear—nobody saw a foot."

"So we're doing this?" Asked another while still another said, "I clearly saw a pink penis."

"Way to stay classy High Line," said another, "unbelievable."

This controversy follows a previous concern over New York City's public art when a sculpture of a large, overweight black woman was placed in Times Square. That sculpture was inspired by Michelangelo's David, but as with Foot Fountain, viewers saw something else entirely.