5000 Moving Parts • Kinetic Sculpture at MIT

Last week we went up to Cambridge, MA to see the newest kinetic sculpture show at the MIT Museum. The museum always has an Arthur Ganson exhibit but through November, 2014 they also have an additional gallery dedicated to kinetic sculpture. It makes a visit doubly inspirational.  The exhibit, titled 5000 Moving Parts includes the work of five kinetic sculptors, Arthur Ganson, Anne Lilly, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, John Douglas Powers and Takis.

Haliades by John Douglas Powers

David assembled a short video montage of some of the pieces in the exhibit because one must see the motion! And hear the noise!

Although kinetic sculptures are meant to move, they often create fascinating still photographs as well.

Machine with Breath by Arthur Ganson

Machine with Breath by Arthur Ganson

Another Dream by Arthur Ganson 1997 (Ganson Exhibit)

Ialu by John Douglas Powers

Ialu by John Douglas Powers

Ialu by John Douglas Powers

To Conjugate by Anne Lilly

And I found another viewer's video collage of the show up on YouTube. Here is the impressions of the show assembled by Joykrit Mitra.

 We have recommended the MIT Museum on this blog before but it is a great time to visit with this new exhibit. If you are traveling to Boston be sure and add it to your itinerary. Advance warning though - find it on Google maps first. It is tucked away in an MIT corner.

Additional Resources;

Larua Knot is the curator for the show and she has started a kinetic blog about the show that includes some fascinating information about assembling this exhibit. The blog is located here.

And the Boston Globe did a review of the show here worth reading as well.

Sharing the World of Kinetic Sculpture

Pinterest helps in developing paths to new places. Recently while exploring there, I found two interesting videos created by other kinetic artists to share their work. Here are two very different approaches from artists I have mentioned on this blog in the past.

The first is a video by Elizabeth Runge created about a year ago. It is a "dreamscape" about the life and work of Anthony Howe. He must have an incredible front lawn!

The second is an in-depth explanation of the mechanism behind "Tantalus Mackerel" by sculptor Chris Fitch.

These videos are inspiring viewing for both those who like to build kinetic sculpture and those who like to collect it.  Enjoy.

New Kinetic Sculpture • Variation II Sun

Just wanted to let you know that David has released a new sculpture this week. Variation II Sun is the second in the Variation II series. It incorporates all the mechanical advances from the first Variation II design - Wave plus a dramatically different pattering wheel. 

 

Visit the website to see the video because it is all about the motion! Those six satellite wheels create a fascinating series of kaleidoscopic patterns.

Barnum's Dream by Ed Ross

Have you met someone interesting recently in a totally unexpected way? I did. A customer came to pick up a recently completed Frolic kinetic sculpture that he had ordered from me. He brought along his friend because he thought he would be interested in my work and workshop. Through visiting, I learned that this friend, Ed Ross has crafted some incredible kinetic work of his own. Inspired by the Steampunk world, he built this magnificent sculptural ship call Barnum's Dream.

Ed blogged extensivly about the construction process on his blog here. I have no idea how long it took to create. The blog starts in 2010 and things seemed to be in progress at that point. Ed also created a video filled with whimsy as well as detail about the trial run of this incredible sculpture. Check this out.

Organic Mechanic • Blair Somerville

I definitely would like to take a little trip to New Zealand and Australia. That has always been on my bucket list. This video pushed it higher up on the list. Here is a kindred tinkerer with whom, I expect, I could have some interesting conversations.  

Image source: Colossall

Blair Somerville lives and creates on the South Island of New Zealand. There he operates the Lost Gypsy Gallery in a converted old school bus.

Image source: Inka Parei

And he whiles away the hours creating kinetic sculpture and automata from found materials. His style and mine are worlds apart but it is all in the mechanics....making it work.  What fun.

Images source: Colossall

Images source: Colossall

He doesn't have a website that I could find but was recently featured in this beautifully crafted and whimsical video by Joey Bania. It is a very entertaining, motion filled wonderland. Enjoy.

I love the part where he tries to assign words to what he does. His choices - Rustic Automata, Organic Mechanic, Tinkerer all creating Fine Acts of Junk! 

 via Colossall