Art Centre and Sculpture Garden
François Schneider Foundation

The François Schneider Foundation, located in the former bottling factory of the village of Wattwiller, offers an original annual programme of exhibitions of contemporary art on the theme of water. An adjoining sculpture garden enhances this multi-faceted site, offering visitors a delightful stroll through a permanent display of artworks from the 20th and 21st centuries. Most of the artworks incorporate the use of water, creating a fascinating experience for young and old alike.
Measuring more than three metres high, the sculpture by Niki de Saint-Phalle, Star Fountain, is displayed on a rocky knoll where two vases pour water into a stream. Water flows from the Toupies d’eau by Ilana Isehayek, curves along the Vosges Mountains evoked by Sylvie de Meurville’s installation, and brings a sparkle to Pol Bury’s steel spheres. Clément Borderie’s Wall Piercing is grafted onto the Foundation’s structure. Lorella Abenavoli presents a minimalist cube where water flows into a perfectly smooth surface. In the large pool From Here to There by Renaud Auguste-Dormeuil, the water reflects the clouds moving across the sky and then flows through an imaginary tunnel towards the Pacific Ocean.  All of the outdoor installations demonstrate the extent to which water is synonymous with play and inspires a multitude of stories that lead the visitor on a poetic stroll.