The science of water filtration has inspired a specially commissioned work of art in the form of a drinking fountain, housed at London's Whitechapel gallery...

Artist Annie Ratti created the fountain, entitled Following the Flow, for the gallery's Study Studio and it marks the latest addition to the Whitechapel's Social Sculpture series.

The design was apparently influenced by the Austrian forester and inventor Victor Schauberger, who developed a theory of "fluidic vortices" for the cleaning and refinement of drinking water. Ratti's fountain employs a spiral-shaped pipe to filter tap water that is then channelled through a purification system to attain, we're told, the quality of spring water.

While the fountain will no doubt provide welcome refreshment for the gallery's visitors, this is of course an art project too and Ratti – with more poetic intentions – also cites the writings of Masaru Emoto as an influence on the work. Emoto believes that water has the potential to memorise and carry information; so that any text, images and sound, as they are "filtered" through the surrounding gallery area, create more "positive" water for the public to drink.

If anyone samples any of the positively-charged Whitechapel Spring, let us know.

Following the Flow
Study Studio (admission free)
Whitechapel Gallery
77-82 Whitechapel High Street
London E1 7QX

Tuesday-Sunday, 11am-6pm, Thursdays, 11am-9pm
More at whitechapelgallery.org