Sickle

Kinetic Sculpture 

Sculpture: Stainless Steel with a Basalt Stone

16"h x 16.5"d x 11.5"w

Base: Granite 

18" x 18" x .5

A rocker made from an asymmetrical dish plate is balanced upon a hyperbolic kickstand supports a single pendulum. The pendulum is a rod with a fixed stone weight at one end and a movable counterweight at the other. The mast on the rocker also has a movable counterweight. As the rocker and pendulum move, the energy of these elements cycles between kinetic and potential forms and is transferred between the pendulum and rocker. Since their periods of motion are not equal, there is an interesting pattern of motion as one catches up to, then passes the other. Changing the counterweight’s position changes the rockers frequency, and thus changes the pattern of motion of the sculpture. my favorite pattern occurs with both weights set at the marks near their upmost positions. Hold the rocker over so it is resting near its wide and hold the pendulum horizontal with the rock out past the wide end of the rocker. Gently release both at the same time. The piece will cycle through gradual modulations of the amplitude of rocker and pendulum. Each element nearly coming to rest before increasing in amplitude again.