Wind is a frequently used natural force for kinetic sculptures.
Art that uses movement within its structure is called kinetic art. Kinetic sculptures often use wind, a motor or stimuli from the viewer to create movement. Kineticism is a term used to describe the art form of creating kinetic sculptures. There are two general forms of kinetic art, which are labeled according to their energy source. There are natural movement sculptures which use wind, water or human stimuli to effect movement, and there are kinetic sculptures which use mechanical movement. Mechanical kineticism is thought to be used as an expression of the advancement of the modern age.
Mobiles
Mobiles are a form of kinetic art that use air flow to create movement. Mobiles are sculptures that hang from the ceiling. These vary from incredibly intricate pieces to bold large ornamentation. They vary in size from being very small to filling an entire room. Mobiles are often made by suspending objects and sculpted paper from wire and string. A mobile is created by employing the basic concepts of levers and balance. Mobiles have a theme, then use created pieces of paper, beads, feathers or other objects to hang and move.
Light Movement Pieces
A modern form of kinetic art is in using an ornate light show. Artists will create vivid light displays by using different forms of lighting or lasers in all different colors. They cross the lights over each other in interesting ways, and sometimes they splay the lights across a created backdrop. They move the lights across one another, so that the overlapping lights create a movement that is designed to stir the emotions. Larger light displays will often use computer programming to keep the lights continuously moving without the artist having to manually adjust them.
The Rolling Ball Clock
The rolling ball clock is a form of kinetic art which mixes the rolling ball form and the gear forms of kinetic art. A clock contains many gears, and as these are a frequently used item in kinetic art, an exposed clock is often used as a form of kinetic art. The rolling ball technique is another much-beloved form of kinetic art; it consists of ball-shaped items rolling themselves along a roller-coaster type of track. The rolling ball clock uses both principles, and allows a single marble to pass through the clock shoot every second. This marble makes the second hand tick 60 times a minute, which then engages the minute hand to tick.
The Walking Beest
The walking "beest" is a giant form of kinetic sculpture made of light materials that uses wind or even light touch from the viewer to cause the sculpture to "walk." The inventor of these mechanisms, Theo Jansen, states that his sculptures are able to battle the elements better than a real animal and they do not even need food. His creations use the wind to animate the legs and body of the sculptures to propel them forward in a walking motion.
