Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation
Educational and Family Resource
Miffy Fountain
Miffy is a cute little bunny who is the star of an internationally renowned series of children’s books that follow her innocent adventures. Drawn with simple lines and flat, bright colors, she has become an icon of childhood, with almost 40 Miffy books translated into over 50 languages. Miffy is also a merchandising giant, with her features found on dozens of commercial objects. The contemporary American artist Tom Sachs adapts the sweet and guileless bunny in his Miffy Fountain in which she cries a fountain of tears which fall into a pool surrounding her. Transformed from the pages of a children’s book into a three-dimensional, monumental sculpture, Miffy was constructed with foamcore and glue which was then cast into bronze and painted white.
Discussion Questions
- What is your first impression of this sculpture?
- How well does this sculpture fit into its surroundings near the library – would you have placed it anywhere else?
- What message was the artist trying to communicate with this sculpture?
- The artist used bronze to elevate the idea of Miffy as high art. What other media could be used for a large sculpture of a popular icon, to shift the character to a “higher level”?
Literature
Please see the attached lesson plan.
Internet Resources
Please see the attached lesson plan.
Art Activities
Please see the attached lesson plan.