Peace Fountain by Greg Wyatt — Attraction in New York

The Cathedral of Saint John the Divine is absolutely massive, the architecture and detailing of the building is gorgeous! - Adjacent to the Cathedral you'll noticed a sculpture in the courtyard next door, "The Peace Fountain", as the sculpture is called, located at the corner of West 110th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, is immensely confounding and provocative. Built in 1985 by the Cathedral Artist-in-Residence Greg Wyatt, the forty-foot high Bronze sculpture consists of a crab, the decapitated head of Satan, the double helix of DNA, and nine giraffes. A plaque at the base of the fountain provides a glimpse of insight into the meaning of this elusive sculpture: "Peace Fountain celebrates the triumph of Good over Evil, and sets before us the world’s opposing forces – violence and harmony, light and darkness, life and death – which God reconciles in his peace."

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Here one might pause and ask how a crab and nine giraffes reference Good and Evil. Similar to deciphering a secret code, breaking down the sculpture into its individual components is necessary. The pedestal at the base of the sculpture is shaped like the double helix of DNA – “the key molecule of life.” Atop the pedestal rests a giant crab, to remind us of life’s origins in the sea and the struggle to survive.

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An inquisitive moon faces west, reflecting tranquility, in contrast to a joyous sun facing east. Perhaps the moon is meant to evoke darkness and death, and the sun lightness and life. Although difficult to spot, nestled beneath the sun are a lion and lamb, representing peace as foretold by the prophet Isaiah, as revealed by the plaque.

At the pinnacle of the sculpture, the winged Archangel Michael, representing good, uses his sword to decapitate Satan, whose head dangles beneath the crab’s claw. Swirling around the sculpture are nine giraffes, described on the plaque as the “most peaceable of animals.” One of the giraffes rests its head on the Archangel Michael’s chest. The final mystery which remains, and that cannot be answered by the description on the plaque, is why the nine giraffes?

Generally, the term Good over Evil evokes such images as David and Goliath, or Spiderman battling his stark nemesis, the Green Goblin. Perhaps Wyatt’s thinking in designing the Peace Fountain was to step away from the standard imagery of Good versus Evil and to challenge the viewer to see Good and Evil in terms of two greater invisible forces–harmony and chaos, light and darkness, peace and struggle. From a different standpoint, without delving too far in depth, the themes of good and evil echo the concept of yin and yang, and bring forth the question of whether opposite forces are opposing or in fact complementary–but that is for a deeper discussion.

Around the fountain are a series of small bronze sculptures created by K-12 students in New York City and the Tri-State area, which form the Children’s Sculpture Garden. The sculptures illustrate a variety of subjects, ranging from famous icons, such as Einstein, Socrates, and Gandhi, to mythical beasts and demons. To add to the curious nature of the sculpture garden, peacocks wander the premises, including a white peacock.

Overall if you're looking for whimsical meets magical come here...The entire experience was lovely and I look forward to returning, the Peace Fountain celebrates the triumph of Good over Evil, and sets before us the world’s opposing forces – violence and harmony, light and darkness, life and death – which God reconciles...

Beautiful and incredible wonderful garden and the fountain sculpture. It is not an actual working fountain but still incredible! If you do not stare high in the sky you feel like you're in Europe!!! The Peace Fountain is a 40-foot-high (12 m) sculpture and fountain1 located next to the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in the Morningside Heights section of Manhattan in New York City. It was commissioned in 1985 by Greg Wyatt, sculptor-in-residence at the cathedral. The sculpture depicts the struggle of good and evil, as well as a battle between the Archangel Michael and Satan. The sculpture also contains the Sun, the Moon, and several animals. Although it is called a fountain, there is currently no water on the site. A plaque at the base contains the following inscription:

Peace Fountain celebrates the triumph of Good over Evil, and sets before us the world's opposing forces—violence and harmony, light and darkness, life and death—which God reconciles in his peace.When the fountain operates, four courses of water cascade down the freedom pedestal into a maelstrom evoking the primordial chaos of Earth. Foursquare around the base, flames of freedom rise in witness to the future. Ascending from the pool, the freedom pedestal is shaped like the double helix of DNA, the key molecule of life. Atop the pedestal a giant crab reminds us of life's origins in sea and struggle. Facing West, a somnolent Moon reflects tranquility from a joyous Sun smiling to the East. The swirls encircling the heavenly bodies bespeak the larger movements of the cosmos with which earthly life is continuous.

Nine giraffes—among the most peaceable of animals—nestle and prance about the center. One rests its head on the bosom of the winged Archangel Michael, described in the bible as the leader of the heavenly host against the forces of Evil. St. Michael's sword is vanquishing his chief opponent, Satan, whose decapitated figure plunges into the depths, his head dangling beneath the crab's claw. Tucked away next to the Sun, a lion and lamb relax together in the peace of God's kingdom, as foretold by the prophet Isaiah.

The fountain is encircled by small bronze animals, sculpted by schoolchildren of a variety of ages, collectively called the Children’s Sculpture Garden. Surrounding the periphery of the sunken plaza in which the fountain sits are plaques, rendered in a style artistically similar to that of the fountain itself, depicting various philosophers, thinkers and artists, most accompanied by a quote by the individual depicted. Despite the Peace Fountain's associating with a Christian (Episcopalian) cathedral, many of the luminaries thus depicted are non-Christian icons, such as Gandhi, Socrates, Albert Einstein and John Lennon, whose image is accompanied by a quote from the lyrics of his...

Located in the Pulpit Green Gardens of The Chapel of St John the Devine, this glorious towering bronze sculpture is mesmerizingly beautiful.

Created in 1985 by then Artist in Residence Greg Wyatt, there are a multitude of Christian and Pop Culture references within the sculpture.

“Peace Fountain celebrates the triumph of Good over Evil, and sets before us the world's opposing forces—violence and harmony, light and darkness, life and death—which God reconciles in his peace.When the fountain operates, four courses of water cascade down the freedom pedestal into a maelstrom evoking the primordial chaos of Earth. Foursquare around the base, flames of freedom rise in witness to the future. Ascending from the pool, the freedom pedestal is shaped like the double helix of DNA, the key molecule of life. Atop the pedestal a giant crab reminds us of life's origins in sea and struggle. Facing West, a somnolent Moon reflects tranquility from a joyous Sun smiling to the East. The swirls encircling the heavenly bodies bespeak the larger movements of the cosmos with which earthly life is continuous.

Nine giraffes—among the most peaceable of animals—nestle and prance about the center. One rests its head on the bosom of the winged Archangel Michael, described in the bible as the leader of the heavenly host against the forces of Evil. St. Michael's sword is vanquishing his chief opponent, Satan, whose decapitated figure plunges into the depths, his head dangling beneath the crab's claw. Tucked away next to the Sun, a lion and lamb relax together in the peace of God's kingdom, as foretold by the prophet Isaiah.”

Additional pop-culture references depicting various philosophers, thinkers and artists, with most accompanied by a quote by the individual depicted. Despite the Peace Fountain's associating with a Christian (Episcopalian) cathedral, many of the luminaries thus depicted are non-Christian icons, such as Gandhi, Socrates, Einstein and John Lennon, whose image is accompanied by a quote from the lyrics of his...