Sea Change 1996
Sculpture by George Cutts
Stainless steel
The Storm King Art Center, New York

The theme that Lina chose for Art Sunday this weekend is “Magic”.  For me, what comes to mind was a sculpture that I saw when I visited The Storm King Art Center in New York. It is a moving sculpture developed by George Cutts. The sculpture gives a “magical” feel of being under the sea as the stainless steel rods “sway” by the waves. It is best to view the video that I have provided to get the feel of how this simple sculpture works.      

Imagine that you are swimming in the sea, with the motion of waves causing kelp to sway to and fro. This vision inspired George Cutts to create a series of moving sculptures which captured this kind of motion. Sea Change is one of them.

Sea Change is one the the many sculptures on permanent exhibit located at The Storm King Art Center in New York. 

Closeup of “Sea Change”

Driven by an electric motor, the curved poles create an undulating movement, causing a change in the space between them as they revolve. The generous, expansive sway in Sea Change reflects its organic origin, interesting to contemplate as it is translated through the inorganic medium of stainless steel. The steel poles catch the light as they revolve, again capturing some of the feeling of an underwater world.

George Cutts is an enthusiastic scuba-diver, and has used his observations of sea weed, currents, wave motion and light in many of his sculptures. The Kiss 1991, which was exhibited at Sculpture at Goodwood during the first season, was extremely popular with visitors, and whilst it was powered in the same way as Sea Change, the more upright poles gave a very different movement – more curving, less swaying than in this sculpture. The motion in both works has a mesmerising quality, much as the tune of the snake charmer’s flute mesmerises the cobra.

“Sea Change” – a moving sculpture by George Cutts

Here is another interesting sculpture from The Storm King Art Center. Although it is not a moving sculpture, it does create a magical effect. The smaller box seems to be suspended in mid air, but it is actually being held up by the larger box, and supported by an anchor (see below). 

“Suspended”, 1977
Weathering steel
by Manishe Kadishman

Kadishman creates a visual illusion with his cantilevered sculpture. The two hollow steel boxes are bolted together and welded at the top, and a counterbalancing support anchors the piece into the ground.

Click here if you’d like to see my Art Sunday post for The Storm King Art Center.

delete reply nonamestudio wrote on Aug 16, ’08 that is pretty cool

delete reply 2crobyn wrote on Aug 16, ’08 Thanks, Robyn.

edit delete reply lauritasita wrote on Aug 16, ’08 Storm King is such a unique and unusual place.

delete reply ruraldiva wrote on Aug 17, ’08 Wow, this is really different.  Thank you for showing me this.  Smiles.

delete reply wickedlyinnocent wrote on Aug 17, ’08 Lovely, real magic. Have a wonderful day, thanks.

delete reply nemo4sun wrote on Aug 17, ’08 i like that 🙂

edit delete reply lauritasita wrote on Aug 17, ’08 It’s cool and simple.

delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Aug 17, ’08 utterly mesmerising but very beautiful and you are right, quite magical

delete reply aimlessjoys wrote on Aug 17, ’08 So graceful & strong– both are really magical!

edit delete reply lauritasita wrote on Aug 17, ’08 Thanks for visiting, aimlessjoys. Yes, they are quite magical !