Vaillancourt Fountain dismantled in San Francisco

Crews in San Francisco have begun taking apart the Vaillancourt Fountain, a large concrete sculpture that has divided opinion for more than five decades. The work was created by Quebec artist Armand Vaillancourt and has stood at Embarcadero Plaza since 1971. Supporters have long seen it as an important example of modern public art, while critics have called it unattractive and out of place. City officials say the fountain had deteriorated and was becoming a safety concern, with repairs expected to cost millions. After a legal dispute, the city agreed to dismantle the structure instead of demolishing it. It will be stored for up to three years while officials consider whether it can be used somewhere else.