Kinetics: Art in Motion

Kinetics:

Art in Motion

May 5 - August 11, 2019 Museum of Sonoma County

Featuring works by Catherine Daley Laurent Davidson Chris Eckert Mark Galt Nemo Gould Ned Kahn Jerome Kirk Thérèse Lahaie Sean Paul Lorentz Mark Malmberg Martin Munson Moto Ohtake Bruce Shapiro Camille Utterback

Kinetics:

Art in Motion

May 5 - August 11, 2019 Curated by Debra Lehane and Satri Pencak This exhibition is generously supported by Eric and Debbie Green, Resolution Capital, and Jack and Diane Stuppin.

Graphic inspired by Jerome Kirk’s mobile, Silent Echo, 1999

Kinetics: Art in Motion Satri Pencak

The Universe is a whirl of motion. From quarks to vast galaxies, movement is a constant part of existence which artists have been attempting to represent and express since before recorded history.

Early efforts to depict movement in art date back to prehistoric cave paintings where artists used visual techniques to portray moving herds of animals, and to the Winged Victory of Samothrace, from the 2nd century BC, whose marble fabric is carved to show the invisible force of wind on the figure. In the 19th century new scientific discoveries in color theory and photography inspired Impressionist painters such as Degas, Monet, and Renoir to experiment with methods of creating the visual sensation of movement in their paintings. Italian Futurists in the early 20th Century were infatuated with the recent inventions of the automobile and airplane, and investigated ways of representing speed and motion in painting as well as sculpture.

Kinetic Art developed as a global movement in the early 20th Century by artists seeking ways to use real space, time and movement, experiment with new technologies, and explore the recent theories and scientific discoveries of Einstein. The term kinetic art was initially used by Russian artists, Naum Gabo and his brother Antoine Pevsner in their 1920 Realistic Manifesto. Kinetic Art, or Kineticism, typically refers to art created between 1920 and 1970, with early influences deriving from the Constructivist and Dada movements. Never adhering to a singular ‘style’, kinetic artists often had divergent ideologies about machines and technology, as they still do today. Some saw machinery and technology as wonderful tools to help humanity, others saw these as ways to enslave humanity through propaganda and surveillance.

Official recognition for the genre of Kinetic Art came after the 1955 exhibition Le Mouvement (Movement) at Galerie Denise René in Paris, which included both actual and implied movement. After the initial enthusiasm faded and dispersed, the concepts of kineticism continued to evolve with the next generations of artist. For example, Kinetic Art encouraged the development of “Happenings” during the 1960s, as well as the various types of Performance and Interactive arts. These ideas are still inspiring today’s artists to investigate the latest technologies, explore motion, time and space, express the ineffable natural forces, as well as make statements about social, political, and environmental issues.

Kinetics: Art in Motion presents 14 contemporary California artists that exemplify these investigations, and whose works reflect a variety of styles and modes of movement.

In these artworks movement is an integral part of its concept, and may be generated through natural sources such as air currents, gravity, and light, or through interventions such as mechanical motors, electrical power, and human contact.

(Left)

Laurent Davidson Happenstance, 2011 Painted metal Lent by the artist (Above)

Ned Kahn Pencil Vortex, 2018 Pencils, motor Lent by the artist

Catherine Daley

Catherine Daley Quercus illuminosa 2019 Plexiglass, mirror, photo transparencies, stainless steel, powder-coated steel Lent by the artist

Laurent Davidson

Laurent Davidson, Pedal to the Metal, 2012, Polished aluminum, Lent by the artist

Laurent Davidson, Happenstance, 2011, Painted metal, Lent by the artist

Chris Eckert

Chris Eckert with John Green, Mixed Messages, 2016, Polychromed metal, microelectronics, Lent by the artist

Mark Galt

Mark Galt Fermata Bot # 3, 2019 Brass, bronze, aluminum, stainless steel, coldcathode numerical display tube, electronics Lent by the artist

Mark Galt, Salome’s Erotic Dance, 2015, Wood, brass, clockwork, paint, papyrus, Lent by the artist

Nemo Gould

Nemo Gould, Petroparasite, 2016, Found objects, aluminum, wood, cloth, Lent by the artist

Nemo Gould, U.S.S. Gaslight, 2019, Found objects, aluminum, steel, Lent by the artist

Ned Kahn

Ned Kahn Avalanche 2016 Steel, wood, sand Lent by the artist

Jerome Kirk

Jerome Kirk Silent Echo 1999 Painted aluminum, stainless steel Collection of Wendy Floriani

Thérèse Lahaie

Thérèse Lahaie, Swell-Spill, 2019, Scoured glass, motors, stainless steel, Lent by the artist

Sean Paul Lorentz

Sean Paul Lorentz Sandy’s Circus 2013, Steel Lent by the artist

Mark Malmberg

Mark Malmberg, Crawling Out of Darkness, 2014, Carbon fiber, stainless steel, brass, aluminum, electronics, humidity and motion sensors, motors, sound, Lent by the artist

Martin Munson

Martin Munson Manometer 2018 Mixed found, forged and fabricated metals, patina, enamel, wood Lent by the artist

Martin Munson Rain Maker 2005 Mixed found, forged and fabricated metals, patina Lent by the artist

Moto Ohtake

Moto Ohtake Orbiter 2008 Stainless steel Lent by the artist

Bruce Shapiro

Bruce Shapiro Sisyphus Table 2019 Wood, sand, steel ball, glass, custom robotic mechanism Lent by the artist

Camille Utterback

(Left to Right)

Camille Utterback Radiant Cache (Eucalyptus) 2017 Kiln cast glass, projector, video, wooden frame Courtesy of the artist and Haines Gallery Camille Utterback Radiant Cache (Palm) 2017 Kiln cast glass, projector, video, wooden frame Courtesy of the artist and Haines Gallery

Camille Utterback, Radiant Cache (Palm)

List of Works Catherine Daley Quercus illuminosa, 2019 Plexiglass, mirror, photo transparencies, stainless steel, powder-coated steel Lent by the artist

Mark Galt Salome’s Erotic Dance, 2015 Wood, brass, clockwork, paint, papyrus Lent by the artist

Laurent Davidson Carousel, 2019 Aluminum, steel Lent by the artist

Mark Galt Ticker: Mechanical Heart #5, 2019 Aluminum, bronze, brass, copper, stainless steel Lent by the artist

Laurent Davidson Pedal to the Metal, 2012 Polished aluminum Lent by the artist Laurent Davidson Happenstance, 2011 Painted metal Lent by the artist Chris Eckert with John Green Mixed Messages, 2016 Polychromed metal, microelectronics Lent by the artist Mark Galt Clockwork Ballerina #4, 2017 Aluminum, bronze, brass, copper, stainless steel Lent by the artist Mark Galt Fermata Bot # 3, 2019 Brass, bronze, aluminum, stainless steel, coldcathode numerical display tube, electronics Lent by the artist

Nemo Gould U.S.S. Gaslight, 2019 Found objects, aluminum, steel Lent by the artist Nemo Gould Petroparasite, 2016 Found objects, aluminum, wood, cloth Lent by the artist Nemo Gould Don’t Forget to Feed the Cat, 2018 Radio cabinet, magazine clippings, motor, LEDs Lent by the artist Nemo Gould War of Words I, 2018 Radio cabinet, magazine clippings, motors, LEDs Lent by the artist

Nemo Gould War of Words II, 2018 Chart recorder, magazine clippings, motors, LEDs Lent by the artist Nemo Gould Operation Metamorphosis, 2018 Chart recorder, magazine clippings, motors, LEDs Lent by the artist Ned Kahn Avalanche, 2016 Steel, wood, sand Lent by the artist Ned Kahn Pencil Vortex, 2018 Pencils, motor Lent by the artist Ned Kahn Air Column, 2017 Aluminum, steel Lent by the artist Ned Kahn Erratic Fence, 2015 Aluminum Collection of the Museum of Sonoma County Jerome Kirk Silent Echo, 1999 Painted aluminum, stainless steel Collection of Wendy Floriani

Thérèse Lahaie Swell-Spill, 2019 Scoured glass, motors, stainless steel Lent by the artist Sean Paul Lorentz Sandy’s Circus, 2013 Steel Lent by the artist Mark Malmberg Crawling Out of Darkness, 2014 Carbon fiber, stainless steel, brass, aluminum, electronics, humidity and motion sensors, motors, sound Lent by the artist Mark Malmberg Pink Sky Dragonfly, 2007 Carbon fiber, bamboo Lent by the artist Mark Malmberg Albireo, 2011-2015 Stainless steel, aluminum, acrylic, silicone tubing, Arduino microprocessors, XBee wireless transceivers, motors, electronics, solar panels and audio Lent by the artist Martin Munson Manometer, 2018 Mixed found, forged and fabricated metals, patina, enamel, wood Lent by the artist

Martin Munson Aeolian Compass, 2018 Mixed found, forged and fabricated metals, patina, wood Lent by the artist Martin Munson Rain Maker, 2005 Mixed found, forged and fabricated metals, patina Lent by the artist Moto Ohtake Orbiter, 2008, Stainless steel Long term loan, courtesy of the Artist Bruce Shapiro Sisyphus Table, 2019 Wood, sand, steel ball, glass, custom robotic mechanism Lent by the artist Camille Utterback Radiant Cache (Palm), 2017 Kiln cast glass, projector, video, wooden frame Courtesy of the artist and Haines Gallery Camille Utterback Radiant Cache (Eucalyptus), 2017 Kiln cast glass, projector, video, wooden frame Courtesy of the artist and Haines Gallery More information www.museumsc.org/kinetics

Kinetic Art Movement Timeline Debra Lehane

Kinetic Art is an international movement. The art exhibits both real or apparent motion. The Movement identifies art created between 1920-70. Movement is an integral part of the design.

Futurism (1909-1914) Futurism was an early 20th century artistic movement centered in Italy that emphasized the dynamism, speed, energy, and power of the machine and the vitality, change, and restlessness of modern life. The movement radiated outward across most of Europe, most significantly to the Russian avant-garde.

Notable Artists: Umberto Boccioni, Carlo Carrà, Luigi Russolo, Giacomo Balla and Gino Severini.

1912 Giacomo Balla (1871-1958) Dynamism of a Dog on a Leash

19th Century Impressionist artists such as Claude Monet (1840-1926), Edgar Degas (1834-1917), and Édouard Manet (18321883) experimented with accentuating movement of human figures on canvas. Impressionism was defined by isolating color, light, and movement and the subjects of the artists were studies of dancers, race horses, and figures in the landscape/seascape.

1913 At the Armory show of 1913, Marcel Duchamp (1887-1968) unveiled Nude Descending a Staircase, a cubist painting showing a figure in motion. It was radical and not well received, but other artists took notice.

1920 The term “kinetic art” was initially used by Russian artists, Naum Gabo (1890-1977) and Antoine Pevsner (1884-1962) in their “Realistic Manifesto.”

Gabo completed Kinetic Construction (Standing Wave) in 1920. It used a motor to make the sculpture vibrate. He referred to the work as an example of Kinetic Rhythm. Along with Gabo, László Moholy-Nagy (1895-1946) began using electric machinery in his art.

Dada (1916 – 1924) Dada was an art movement formed during the First World War in Zurich in negative reaction to the horrors and folly of the war. The art, poetry, and performance produced by Dada artists is often satirical and nonsensical in nature. Dada formed the basis of surrealism in Paris after the war.

Notable Artists: Hans (Jean) Arp, Marcel Duchamp, Francis Picabia, and Kurt Schwitters.

1875, Edouard Manet, Le Ballet Espagnol 1913, Marcel Duchamp, Bicycle Wheel

Bauhaus (1919-1930) Bauhaus is a school of art, design, and architecture founded in Germany in 1919. Bauhaus style is characterized by its severely economic, geometric design, and by its respect for materials.

Notable Artists: Walter Gropius, Lyonel Feininger, Johannes Itten, Franz Marc, Paul Klee, László Moholy-Nagy, Oskar Schlemmer, Wassily Kandinsky.

Alexander Calder (1898-1976) is renowned for the invention of the mobile and his innovative genius.

He developed a new method of sculpture: bending and twisting wire, essentially drawing 3-d figures in space. From 1926-1929 Calder exhibited his miniature wire circus sculpture and performance piece titled Cirque.

Constructivism (1915 – late 1930s) Constructivism was an invention of the Russian avant-garde that found adherents across the continent.

Germany was the site of the most Constructivist activity outside of the Soviet Union (especially as home to Walter Gropius’s Bauhaus, a progressive art and design school sympathetic to the movement) but Constructivist ideas were also carried to other art centers, like Paris, London and eventually the United States. Constructivist art is marked by commitment to total abstraction and a wholehearted acceptance of modernity.

Notable Artists: Vladimir Tatlin, Kazimir Malevich, Alexandra Exter, Wassily Kandinsky, Alexander Rodchenko, László Moholy-Nagy.

1930, László Moholy-Nagy, Light-Space Modulator

1955 - 1970 Kinetic Art Movement Kinetic art was formally recognized as an artistic movement with the 1955 exhibition Le Mouvement at Galerie Denise René, Paris France. The exhibition included Jean Tinguely, Yaacov Agam, Pol Bury, Alexander Calder, Marcel Duchamp, Robert Jacobsen, Jesus Soto, and Victor Vasarely.

Jean Tinguely (1925 – 1991) Jean Tinguely, a Swiss painter and sculptor has been dubbed the “godfather” of kinetic art. His works were known for their whimsy and erratic behavior. He was fascinated with motion and how motion affected the way an object was viewed. He employed motors to activate his objects.

Op Art (1960 - Present) Op Art or Optical Art is a form of abstract art and is closely connected to the Kinetic and Constructivist Art movements. The term is used to describe painting or sculptures which seem to swell, move, and vibrate through their use of optical effects.

Notable Artists: Bridget Riley and Victor Vasarely.

Art historians define Kinetic Art, or Kineticism, as an international movement that refers to art of both real or apparent motion created between 1920 and 1970. Kinetic art as a genre continues to flourish in the 21st century.