R A L F O N S O
"Dance With The Wind"
kinetic sculpture for Olympic Park
Beijing, China 2008
Working-prototype for "Dance With The Wind" kinetic sculpture that was
commissioned for Olympic Park; Beijing, China; 2008
Ralfonso Gschwend, who shares his time between his native Switzerland and Florida, employs air currents, light and water in his impressive kinetic sculpture. "Dance with the Wind" is the nine foot tall working prototype he created for the 30-foot sculpture version that was commissioned for this summer's 2008 Olympic Park in Beijing, China. A striking illustration of compound pendulums, this dynamic work is composed of stacked spheres in decreasing diameter, each swaying within a dimensional perimeter that pivots independently, suggesting an oversized and unhinged shimmering necklace. Reminiscent of the exquisitely polished experiential public sculpture of Anish Kapoor, this sculpture uses the reflection of its environment to pull the viewer in, while the rhythmic oscillations conjure chaos.
Ralfonso was invited and selected as one of twenty international artists to create a sculpture for Olympic Park. The small version (9') working-prototype [above] was installed in Geneva, Switzerland in April, 2008.
 
sculpture in front of Olympic Aquatics Center [left] and in front of Olympics Stadium [right], July 2008
A short movie of how sculpture moves in the wind:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDtvdl3-hD4
night view of sculpture in front of Olympic Aquatics Center
Learn more about Ralfonso’s kinetic sculptures:
~ Select among 15 movies at:
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ralfonso
~ See a comprehensive overview about Ralfonso on Wikipedia at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralfonso_Gschwend
~ Ralfonso is also President of the international Kinetic Art Organization (KAO)
http://www.kinetic-art.org
~ Check-out Ralfonso’s website to view many more of his creations at:
http://www.ralfonso.com
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