Amazing gallery exhibition of contemporary fine art automata in San Francisco

Artwork by Tom Haney

I am thrilled to tell you about an upcoming show at Heron Arts titled Perpetual Motion: Contemporary Interpretations of Fine Art Automata.

It is hard to believe, but this will be among the first gallery exhibition of contemporary fine art automata in the United States.  The group show features eleven well known kinetic sculpture artists.

From the press release:

Curated by Heron Arts director Noah Antieau and Atlanta-based automata artist Tom Haney, exhibiting artists were chosen based on their craftsmanship and lifetime dedication to this artistic medium. Exhibiting artists include: David Archer (AUS), Chris Fitch (USA), Nemo Gould (USA), Tom Haney (USA), Thomas Kuntz (USA), Pat Keck (USA), Richard Landon (USA), Paul Spooner (UK), and husband and wife collaborators Dean Lucker and Ann Wood (USA).

Now THAT is an impressive list of names! You will not want to miss this one.

Here is a nice article about the show that was recently released by SF Station. Here is a recent blog post about the show by Tom Haney.

What:
Perpetual Motion: Contemporary Interpretations of Fine Art Automata

Where:
Heron Arts
7 Heron St, SF, CA 94103

When:
Opens on April 16th, 2016 with a reception from 6-9pm and runs through May 14th, 2016

Gallery Hours: Wednesday through Saturday 3-7pm and by appointment

Website Info:
heronarts.com

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Messengers - life-size mechanical figures tap out messages to spectators on a telegraph

You've got to check out this video of this kinetic sculpture by artist Pat Keck. Titled Messengers, it depicts four nearly life-sized figures seated behind a desk, each with a telegraph key. The spectator inserts a coin in the slot at the front of the machine. One of the figures taps out a message and a ticker tape emerges from the machine for the viewer to take and read. The figures take turns tapping out messages and passing slow, meaningful sidelong glances among themselves. They would appear know something that we do not.

The video takes about 10 minutes; it is worth setting aside some time for it. It's like an entire scene in some quirky surreal movie. The motion of the figures is so smooth and life-like, yet slow in an eerie way. I especially love it when a figure raise a hand off the telegraph key and rest it back on the table. It has a deliberate quality to it that reminds me of a magician in slow-motion.

Around the 7 minute mark we get to see some behind-the-scenes shots of the piece in-progress. The construction looks impeccable. We also get to see some of the motions in isolation, with is both fascinating and instructive. It's an incredible piece by a fantastic kinetic sculptor.

See more work by Pat Keck on the artist's web site.

[ Thanks Margaret! ]

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