WSSC Headquarters, Laurel, MD.
10′ x 7.5′ x 20′
Bronze
1992
The heroic-scale figurative bronze fountain celebrating the employees of the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) bursts out of the lobby of their corporate headquarters and incorporates themes of labor and multi-racial collaboration. The original RFQ did not specify the subject matter of the fountain, but after researching the WSSC, it became clear just how important the workmen are and how much responsibility goes into their work keeping the water running to the public 24/7, no matter the weather conditions.
This sculpture highlights the workmen themselves at the entrance of the headquarters. This dramatic fountain appears as if the workmen have excavated the lobby, revealing a broken 18” horizontal gate valve from which water pours out. A tool is discovered in one of the men’s back pocket, which only people in this occupation would recognize. When trying to locate the source of a break, this device helps them listen closely to the water and determine, based on sound alone, where the break is. Showing the two workmen laboriously struggling together is a symbol of the strength and collaboration that comes from the act of working closely with others.