Fountain and Eye Benches
Louise Bourgeois, 1999
Agnes R. Katz Plaza, a landmark public space in downtown Pittsburgh’s Cultural District, features the largest public art commission by internationally celebrated artist Louise Bourgeois. At its center stands Fountain, a 25-foot bronze sculpture whose rising, spiraling form echoes the city’s dramatic topography. Surrounding the plaza are three granite Eye Benches, functional sculptural works that merge Bourgeois’s recurring motifs with a human-scale invitation to pause and observe. Together, the works transform the 23,000-square-foot plaza into a contemplative urban oasis.
The commission was realized through a rare and thoughtful collaboration between Bourgeois; renowned landscape architect Daniel Urban Kiley; architect Michael Graves, designer of the adjacent Theater Square; and the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. The opening of Katz Plaza in 1999 coincided with a major solo presentation of Bourgeois’s work at Wood Street Galleries, marking a significant moment of recognition for the artist in Pittsburgh. The plaza was named in loving memory of Agnes R. Katz through a generous gift from her children and remains one of the city’s most iconic public spaces.
About the Artist
Louise Bourgeois (1911–2010) was a pioneering figure in modern and contemporary art, known for her psychologically charged sculptures, installations, and works on paper. Born in France and based in New York for most of her life, Bourgeois explored themes of memory, trauma, the body, and domesticity with remarkable emotional depth and formal innovation. Her work has been exhibited worldwide, including major retrospectives at the Museum of Modern Art, the Tate Modern, and the Centre Pompidou. In 2007, she represented the United States at the Venice Biennale. Bourgeois’s public artworks, including Fountain, the Eye Benches, and the monumental Maman, continue to resonate globally for their profound symbolism and striking presence.