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SUPER*NOVA is a sculptural drinking water fountain in which water, minerals, glass and light form a changing optical environment.

Constructed as a vertical tower of concentric borosilicate glass cylinders, the fountain contains water together with a composition of gold, raw diamond and white quartz. Light passes through the glass, water and minerals, revealing their different transparencies and producing shifting optical phenomena, including rainbows.

The work is activated through use. As visitors drink from the fountain, the water level changes, altering the internal geometry of the structure and, with it, the position and intensity of the projected light. The action of drinking therefore becomes visible through the continuous transformation of the work.

Presented at the Festival Future Nows 2025 at the Neue Nationalgalerie, SUPER*NOVA became a point of encounter within the exhibition. Visitors of different ages and backgrounds gathered around the fountain, drinking, observing and returning to the work over extended periods. The changing relationship between water, light and colour made each interaction slightly different, turning individual gestures into a collective experience.

SUPER*NOVA operates as a dynamic system in which the presence and actions of its visitors continually affect what is seen.

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Curated by Klaus Biesenbach, Olafur Eliasson, Christina Werner

Mineral Composition: Water | Gold nuggets | White raw diamond | White quartz

Materials: Borosilicate glass manufactured locally in Berlin, lamp

Dimensions: H 160 cm × Ø 16 cm