The city of Děčín announced a competition for the sculptural decoration of the Fairy Tale Fountain

The city of Děčín has announced a two-phase artistic competition for the design of the sculptural decoration of the Art Nouveau city fountain in Masaryk Square – the Fairy Tale Fountain Děčín. The competition is announced in two categories: Design replicas and Free creation. Proposals must be submitted by January 30, 2023, after which they will be evaluated by an expert committee.

The aim of the competition is to find an optimal artistic solution for the sculptural decoration of the fairy tale fountain, including the type of material.

The fountain was built in 1907 according to the design of architect R. Weyr on the site of the former Thun tomb. It is a professionally and quality-executed fountain, representing the peak of Art Nouveau thinking.

At the top of the fountain, there used to be a bronze sculpture until World War II, whose theme was the legend of the Loubský spring, which takes place on the Kvádrberk hill. In 1942, the statues were requisitioned.

The bronze statues were placed on a limestone column with caps that had threads, which have only partially survived. All bronze statues and inscription plates on the fountain are missing.

In the center of the fountain stood a figure of a woman – the White Lady blessing the spring on a stone pedestal edged with bronze gargoyles, below which were a lumberjack with his daughter, two ravens, and a dwarf.

The first category of the competition is announced for bronze replicas based on surviving photographs, while the second category consists of free sculptural figurative creation from any material related to the legend of the Loubský spring. 

“Unfortunately, today it is not possible to create exact replicas of the sculptures, as there are no documents available that would allow them to be made. Therefore, the city of Děčín has decided to announce the competition. The condition set by the heritage conservators and the committee for free creation is that the sculptures should match in size and proportion, but it is not specified from what material they should be made,” says Deputy Mayor Tomáš Brčák, adding that the winning project will be selected by a committee composed of members proposed by the Czech Chamber of Architects, representatives of the city, and an art historian.

Restoration of the fountain

For several weeks, work has been underway to restore the fountain, which was in a state of emergency. The goal of the restoration is not only to repair this cultural monument but also to ensure that it can support new sculptures.
“The first stage, which is taking place thanks to a grant from the Ústí Region for the restoration of the cultural monument, focuses on stabilizing the fountain to significantly reduce the negative impact of traffic and vibrations from it. A reinforced concrete crown with a foundation slab will be built, on which the original stone staircase will be reassembled,” adds Brčák. Additionally, the central limestone shaft will be restored, including the granite basin.

Option A – design replicas

• proportions of figures, gestures, body positions, and small details can be adjusted (these are details that cannot be deciphered from the surviving materials),
• material: bronze,
• the orientation of the figure of the woman – the White Lady – may allow for an alternative solution to the composition in relation to the original placement of the White Lady's view, considering the current arrangement of the square.

Option B – free creation

• the basic theme inspired by the legend of the White Lady and the Loubský spring,
• the placement and number of figures will be based on the composition of the fountain and the possibilities (number) of the existing anchoring points for the original fastening of the sculptures,
• it must consist of figurative creation,
• any material.

Organizer of the competition for the design

Statutory city of Děčín
Mírové náměstí 1175/5
Děčín IV - Podmokly, ZIP 405 38

Jury

Representing the city of Děčín in the selection of proposals:
Ing. Bc. Tomáš Brčák – Deputy Chair of the jury
Mgr. Milan Rosenkranc – substitute member of the jury
Štěpánka Špačková

Independent part of the jury:
Mgr. Rostislav Koryčánek - Chair of the jury
MgA. Monika Immrová, Ph.D.
M.A. Martin Kloda
Ing. arch. Josef Patrný – substitute member of the jury

Contact person:
Ing. Věra Havlová, email: vera.havlova@mmdecin.cz
Ing. Šárka Kalivodová, email: sarka.kalivodova@mmdecin.cz

Deadline for submission of competition proposals

30.01.2023, 15:00 hrs

Prizes and awards

Prizes and awards are set at a total of 300,000 CZK.
1st place: 130,000 CZK
2nd place: 80,000 CZK
3rd place: 60,000 CZK
For proposals that have brought noteworthy partial ideas and solutions, a sum of max. 30,000 CZK is designated for awards.

Competition conditions including detailed specifications are available on the public procurement portal of the city of Děčín:
https://zakazky.mmdecin.cz/contract_display_6086.html