The Tensegrity of Kenneth Snelson’s Sculpture

Kenneth Snelson, Easy Landing. Stainless steel, 1977.    

Kenneth Snelson’s sculptures are a testimony to the interdisciplinary relationship between science, technology, engineering, math and art.  A prime example of his work, entitled Easy Landing, is located near the entrance to the Maryland Science Center in Baltimore City’s inner harbor.

Snelson was inspired by physics to explore the idea of what holds matter together, and his own ideas are creatively expressed through his open-space, linear sculptures. His colleague, Buckminster Fuller, coined the term tensegrity (a combination of tension and integrity) to describe the interaction between natural forces of compression and tension.  These forces are of primary concern to architects and engineers, and are also critical to Snelson’s sculpture.  In 1965, Snelson acquired a patent entitled, “Discontinuous Compression, Continuous Tension Structures,” and he has applied these principles to many of his sculptures. Everyone can appreciate the formal beauty of his art form, and recognize the artist’s own interest in the marvels of science.

Reference:

Snelson, Kenneth. “The Art of Tensegrity.” Reprinted from International Journal of Space

    Structures (vol. 27, no. 2&3, 2012): 70-80. http://www.kennethsnelson.net/articles-reviews/

    (accessed February 26, 2013).