Galaxy No. 3, Kinetic Wind Vane Sculpture

Galaxy No. 3, 2005 recycled steel. 139" H x 133" W x 14" at the base NOTE: effective width/length is a radius of 133" Buy Galaxy No. 3 at ArtBuzz.
Galaxy No. 3 is the first kinetic piece I've done using sleeve bearings instead of pillow blocks. The bearings are inside the tubing that attaches the sculpture to the base, which keeps them out of the weather. The piece spins readily to point into the direction of the wind. It's a slow and graceful motion… I'd kind of like it if there was enough inertia to keep the piece in rotation, but I guess if the wind changes directions often enough (which it does here) you wind up with the same effect. Galaxy No. 3 is still available. You can buy it here. There are some in-progress photos of the construction of the piece here and here. I love the way these abstracts are open to various interpretations. In one glance, you might see stars, planets and moons. In another, perhaps a fish. Yet another look suggests a man riding a boat… the way these different interpretations play off of one another is what really drives the poetic essence of each sculpture, at least for me. I end up with visions of a sailor riding a fish across the sky. The Galaxy Series are Modernist inspired, abstract wind vanes made from recycled steel. The designs feature simple lines and shapes balanced to spin easily in a light breeze.  The  sculptures  disassemble into two pieces (horizontal arm and vertical base) for shipping. Each   is one of a kind and will not be reproduced. The Galaxy Series  was inspired in part by David Smith's sculptures Australia and Royal Bird. They are also an exploration of negative space… The Galaxy pieces are structured around lines and curves, but  depend heavily as well on the open shapes enclosed by the lines.
Alternate view	Detail	Detail	Movie
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Tags: abstract, abstract sculpture, art, funky, garden, kinetic art, metal, outdoor, windvane, recycled, recycled, yard