Styles & Periods

Kinetic Art

Starting with the work of the Futurists, the inclusion of motion became a central theme to art, in particular sculpture, of the 20th century. Kinetic art is really a generic term for art that addresses the presence, whether apparent or real, of moving parts. Naum Gabo and Marcel Duchamp were among the first to incorporate moving parts in their work in 1920. Just a few years later, László Moholy-Nagy, a Hungarian associated with Constructivism, made machines of light and motion from metal and plastic. The undisputed leader of early Kinetic art is Alexander Calder. His delicately calibrated mobiles included the element of chance, as the works are not motorized, but instead propelled by the motion of the viewer and the currents in the room. In the 1950s Kinetic art was recognized and popularized by critics. The landscape of Kinetic art is ever-evolving, as technological developments provide artists with new ways to incorporate movement into their work.