SONOMA COUNTY MUSEUM

THIS WEEKEND I WENT TO THE MUSEUM DOWNTOWN AND HAD FUN VIEWING SOME KINETIC AND ROBOTIC SCULPTURES. MANY OF THESE ARTISTS HAD BEEN RESEARCH BIOLOGISTS, PHYSICISTS, AND NEUROSCIENTISTS INTERESTED IN TECHNOLOGY.

DR. ALAN RORIE GOT HIS PHD IN NEUROSCIENCE ANDS PUT HIS IMAGINATION INTO SEVERAL SCULPTURES. ONE WAS CALLED THE NEURON CHAMBER WHICH DEPICTS THREE NEURONS UNDER OBSERVATION IN A MYSTERIOUS PURPLE CHAMBER WHICH LOOKS LIKE A MINIATURE SUBMARINE WITH BRAZEN COPPER INSIDE. BY PRESSING BUTTONS THE VISITOR CAN SET OFF SEVERAL CHARGES. ANOTHER ONE OF HIS ART SCULPTURES "VIRA ENGINE" LOOKS LIKE A KINETIC WEATHER INSTRUMENT FOR NASA. IT HAS SIX GLASS CHAMBERS AND HE EXPLAINS HOW HE CONCEIVED IT AND DESIGNED IT IN A VIDEO. IT SERVES AS A HIGH VOLTAGE PHENOMENON CALLED DIALECTIC BARRIER DISCHARGE.

NEMO GOULD

NEMO USES SALVAGE MATERIAL AND HIS SCULPTURES REMIND US OF SCIENCE FICTION, OR MAGICAL POP CULTURE OBJECTS. "NOWHERE FAST" IS A STEEL MOVING ROBOT PEDALING A WOODEN BICYCLE WITH A SMALL STEERING WHEEL. THE WHEEL OF THE BIKE IS AN OLD WAGON WHEEL. THE THEME IS SELF ABUSE, THERE IS A WOODEN CLUB POUNDING ON HIS HEAD AS HE IS PEDALING TO GET AWAY FROM THE CLUBBING. HE ALSO MADE "HOMUNDUS" OR A MINIATURE FULLY FORMED PERSON INSIDE THE BELLY OF ANOTHER ROBOTIC PERSON. HE HAS TRUMPET PARTS INSIDE OF AN OLD RADIO BOX WITH A MOVING PERSON MADE OUT OF BRASS. THE MAIN SCULPTURE HAS A SQUARE HEAD THAT MOVES WHEN YOU PRESS A BUTTON. THE MOUTH HAS TEETH FROM A VIOLIN AND RED LIGHTED EYES FROM DOOR HARDWARE. HE ALSO MADE "THE SPACESHIP" FROM A FLOOR POLISHER, MOTOR BOAT PROPELLER, GLASS TAXIDERMY EYES, OLD RECORD PLAYER, MEAT GRINDERS AND WIRE EYES THAT FLASH. WHEN YOU PUSH A BUTTON THE SPACESHIP MOVES WITH THE PROPELLERS. ANOTHER SCULPTURE HE CALLED "OCTOPUS" WAS MADE FROM A GUITAR PIECE, ROCKING CHAIR LEGS, A SALAD BOWL, AND SOME WOODEN BEADS. UNFORTUNATELY THIS PIECE DOES NOT MOVE.


REUBEN MARGOLIN

REUBEN HAS A BACKGROUND IN MATH AND PHYSICS. HE MADE "THE PENTAGONAL WAVE". IT IS A LARGE WEAVING LIKE MACHINE ABOUT 20 ' LONG. IT CONTAINS UPPER AND LOWER WAVES THAT CREATE OPPOSING WAVES ONCE YOU PRESS A BUTTON. IT HAS 122 BLOCKS AND 120 STRINGS. IT IS FASCINATING TO WATCH. IT ALSO CORRESPONDS TO ANOTHER CEILING SCULPTURE ABOVE THAT UNDULATES ABOVE A FIVE POINT STAR AND YELLOW HOLLOW TUBES. THE CHILDREN LIKE TO LAY UNDERNEATH AND BE FASCINATED BY THE DIFFERENT UNDULATING TUBES THAT CREATE AN OPTICAL ILLUSION.


MICHAEL COOPER

MICHAEL DEVELOPED A 4 ENGINE SMALL CAR WITH PNEUMATIC STEERING WHEELS. VARIOUS COMPONENTS WERE REINTERPRETED BY PUSHING BOUNDARIES. IT LOOKS LIKE A HIGH CLASS TRICYCLE OF METAL, WOOD AND PAINTED SEAT.

NED KAHN

HAS A BACKGROUND IN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND WORKED FOR THE EXPLORATORIUM. HIS SCULPTURES ENCOURAGE CLOSE OBSERVATION INSPIRED BY NATURAL PHENOMENA. HIS PIECES CALLED "MAGMA CHAMBER" ARE TWO SQUARE COLUMNS FILLED WITH HOLLOW GLASS SPHERES SET IN MOTION BY THE VISITOR PUTTING A FINGER OVER A HOLE. THIS INJECTS AIR INTO THE WATER AND ORANGISH SPHERES AND MAKES FLOW PATTERNS OF ALL KINDS LIKE A VOLCANO ERUPTING. IT FASCINATED ME FOR OVER 15 MINUTES AND CHILDREN LOVED IT.

MICHAEL COOPER

MICHAEL WAS TRAINED AS A SCULPTOR AND TAUGHT ART FOR ABOUT 34 YEARS. HE WORKS IN BOTH WOOD AND METAL. HIS KINECTIC SCULPTURE IS A KIND OF WHEELCHAIR THAT GOES REVERSE AND FORWARD BY FRICTION. IT LOOKS LIKE A BICYCLE ALMOST.