The Mildred and Claude Pepper Fountain, is a large sculptural fountain that is also known as the “Slide Mantra” fountain, located in the Bayfront Park in Miami, Florida.
In the 1980’s renowned Japanese-American landscape architect and artist Isamu Noguchi was commisioned by the City of Miami to redesign much of Bayfront Park, a popular public space located on the Biscayne waterfront in downtown Miami. As part of this comission, Naguchi created three sculptural installations that were intergrated into the park’s landscape in 1987.
The fountain is made of large granite slabs that are arranged in a circular pattern, creating a series of cascading waterfalls. The design is meant to represent the journey of water from the mountains to the sea. The water flows down the slabs and into a shallow pool at the bottom of the fountain, creating a peaceful and serene environment in the midst of the bustling city.
The Mildred and Claude Pepper Fountain as is known today has become a popular landmark in Miami and is considered one of the most significant works of public art in the city that became too expensive for the City of Miami to operate.
Claude Pepper, Florida Democrat, U.S. Senator and Congressman who made several contributions to Miami during his political career. His most notable contributions included advocating for the creation of Everglades National Park, which he saw as a way to preserve and protect the unique ecosystem from development. He also supported the expansion of Social Security benefits, which provided critical support for many of Miami’s elderly residents. Additionally, he was a strong advocate for civil rights and played a key role in passing the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which helped to dismantle legal segregation and institutionalized discrimination in the United States. He was also a strong supporter of the New Deal policies of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
