Dimensions

What is the context and how did that influence the work?

Kinetic art is the type of art that refers to art involving movement. By movement, I mean pieces of that the work that can move. These pieces typically run on a motor but they can also move by wind power or by its viewer. The viewer can touch the part of the sculpture that moves and allow for a set of a chain reaction of events to occur that allow for the movement of the remaining parts sculpture.

This type of artwork came to be around during the late nineteenth century when Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, and Edouard Manet started to experiment with this type of work. Many people came to be interested in this type of work because, like me, they found it to be interesting.

One particular artist is David C. Roy. He is a kinetic sculptor that has designed over 150 unique sculptures. His work is largely known across the United States and is very popular among the sculpting community for his work. He has been featured in “The New York Times’ and Discover magazine, among many others.

For this project, I have chosen to talk about Roy’s sculpture “Dimensions.” This sculpture was made in 2015 by Roy. He used a spring to make this sculpture. The sculpture itself is a flowerlike piece whose petals change in size and shape as the spring works, drawing the viewer’s attention to the center of the sculpture.

What is the artist communicating and how?

Roy isn’t necessarily trying to communicate anything through his piece; he has made it more for the enjoyment of himself and the viewers of the piece. There really is no clear message as to why someone, in general, would make a kinetic sculpture either. Though it is possible to convey a message through these types of work, it may be a bit hard. Artists primarily make these pieces just to make them and to put them in exhibits. Seasoned critics may be able to find some type of subliminal meaning behind these sculptures but it may not have been the artist’s intention.

Why do you find it beautiful?

I have always admired kinetic sculptures. To be honest, the I first came across this was actually sometime during middle school or elementary school. I was watching an episode of “Arthur” and one of the characters had heard about this art show where they were showing kinetic sculptures. She attended the art show and fell in love with these sculptures. She became interested in them and decided to create some of her own which she later exhibited at her home.

From this episode, I have always liked this type of sculpture. Other sculptures I have seen are boring and stationary, but these kinetic sculptures are really unique. I liked the fact that things were changing and that the sculpture wasn’t wasn’t boring. I never understood how people are able to look at sculptures for such a long time and try to find the meaning beneath them. I just liked to look at it for a few seconds and move on to the next. Kinetic sculptures, however, held my interest for more than a few seconds. I  also liked to see the patterns in the sculptures when something would stop and something new would start. For example, after doing a certain thing for a while, the sculpture would loop back again and restart its cycle. Though it does become quite repetitive after quite some time, it is interesting at first to see what the sculpture will do.

I really wish I would be able to see one of these sculptures or other kinetic sculptures in action. From videos and pictures I have seen of them, they are very entrancing. It would be quite an experience to be able to actually see one move right before my eyes.