Monday, April 13, 2020

A to Z Joy: Kinetic Art

Hello and welcome to another week of A to Z! I hope you're all staying safe, healthy, and sane!

I'm not an art expert, but I did a little Googling and discovered that the origins of kinetic art go back to the late 19th century Impressionists, such as Monet and Degas, who accentuated the apparent movement of human figures on canvas. This idea continued through op-art and surrealism, where the eye is given the illusion of movement.

But the kinetic art that brings me joy are the three-dimensional pieces--usually mobiles or sculptures--that move either naturally or by motor. American artist Alexander Calder is famous for his mobiles, this one charmingly titled Big Fat Banana:

Alexander Calder | Big Fat Banana, 1969. Metal and paint (18… | Flickr
On a much larger scale, American sculptor Jonathan Borofsky's Hammering Man sculptures in Seattle, Washington, USA; Seoul, South Korea; and Frankfurt, Germany, celebrate working men and women all over the world.

Hammering Man - Seattle, WA | TMAB2003 | Flickr

At a park near my house stands this whimsical sculpture called Secret Garden (1999), by artist Gunnar Anderson.

Secret Garden

From his artist's statement:
I believe each person's Secret Garden is to be found in their own heart. I imagine this garden to be peaceful, joyous, bigger than life and so real that once visited it will never be forgotten. My hope is that this sculpture in this special place will help inspire a stroll through your own Secret Garden.
I took a short video the other day when the wind was blowing. I hope it gives a sense of this whimsical piece.







8 comments:

  1. I love Calder's mobiles, but the Secret Garden piece is new to me, and very fun, too.
    Black and White (Words and Pictures)

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    1. I would love to have a Calder in my house! But I'm glad to be able to walk to Secret Garden any time.

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  2. I love the artist's statement about his sculpture. And Calder's mobiles have always been a favorite.

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    1. It is very sweet, and I wish I would have looked it up sooner. I've seen that sculpture for years and never knew about the secret garden. The plaque has either fallen off or was stolen.

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  3. I love kinetic art. There's a large kinetic sculpture in my city, I could stand and look at it forever. I never thought about the origins of this type of art!
    --
    Operation Awesome
    https://operationawesome6.blogspot.com/?m=1

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    1. Art on a large scale makes such an impression! Thanks for stopping by!

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  4. The city I live in prides itself for its public art - so we have installations everywhere. Some are kinetic and some are not. But at the moment in the National Gallery of Australia we have a different type of kinetic art - it's a man who is a giant candle. After he burns down he's "collected" and remoulded and then burnt again: https://nga.gov.au/ursfischer/

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    1. What an interesting project! I'm so glad you shared the link. At first, I thought there was a guy *inside* the wax, haha! That's a whole other level of commitment!

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