Kinetic sculptures are examples of kinetic art in the form of sculpture. In common with other types of kinetic art, kinetic sculptures have parts that move or that are in motion. The movement may be real or imagined, as in the case of kinetic sculpture using light or projection, for instance in the work of Abraham Palatnik. sound sculpture can also, in some cases, be considered kinetic sculpture. The motion of the work can be provided in many ways: mechanically through electricity, steam or clockwork; by utilising natural phenomena such as wind or wave power; or by relying on the spectator to provide the motion, by cranking a handle, shifting viewpoints or even by optical illusion. The term kinetic art was first recorded by the sculptors Naum Gabo and Antoine Pevsner in their Realist Manifesto issued as part of a manifesto of constructivism in 1920 in Moscow .

The name is derived from the Greek "kinesis" meaning motion, and related to the scientific term kinetic energy, which is the energy contained in a mass due to its motion.

The 1950s and 1960s are seen as a golden age of kinetic sculpture, during which time Alexander Calder (inventor of the mobile) and George Rickey pioneered kinetic sculpture. Other leading exponents include Yaacov Agam, Eduard Bersudsky, Marcel Duchamp, Arthur Ganson, Starr Kempf, Jerome Kirk, Len Lye, Ronald Mallory, Jean Tinguely, and the Zero group.

Mobiles are a type of kinetic sculpture. Some kinetic sculptures are wind-powered as are those of Theo Jansen, and others are motor driven. A variety of human powered craft, such as art bikes, involved in cross country races and parades are considered kinetic sculpture.

Kinetic sculptures are often implemented as installation art.

In 1969, artists in a small northern California town began the Kinetic sculpture race which has grown to a 42 mile, three-day all terrain, human-powered sculpture race and county wide event.

External links

• The Automata and Art Bots mailing list home page
• Kineticus website devoted to the subject of kinetic art
• Arcata to Ferndale World Championship Kinetic Sculpture Race
• Website of Ronald Mallory, foundational kinetic artist
• Kinetic Artist Bernward Frank, founder of Kineticus
• Rolling Ball Sculptures, Automata and Mechanic Curiosities
• Len Lye's Kinetic steel blade sculptures
• Eduard Bersudsky's Kinetic Theatre
• An Interview with Abraham Palatnik, MIT press
• ^*"Jesus Rafael Soto"
• ^*"Cruz Diez"
• ^*"Youri Messen-Jaschin Op art"
• ^*"Youri Messen-Jaschin Op art"
• ^*"Julio Le Parc"

Sculpture | Kinetische Kunst | Kinetische kunst | Cinetism