Drawing on the Air

Book excerpt: In the New York Times Michael Kimmelman called them "sleek, whimsical contraptions in a modernist mode"; the Basler Zeitung termed them "net-like structures . . . like hedgehogs or serpents." The kinetic sculptures of Tim Prentice create a novel geometry of air and light. Concentrating on movement rather than object, Prentice harnesses natural elements into his art machines-delicate structures that walk the tightrope between order and chaos, control and serendipity, understated technique and extravagant wonder. Prentice purposely circumscribes the artist's prerogatives, distilling the power of wind and sun into an ever-changing dance of light and shadow. These understated, subtle inventions provide endless distraction, delighting the child in all of us. Drawing on Air offers a many-sided vision of the kinetic sculptor and his works. An essay by Nicholas Fox Weber introduces the artist and his work, while a chapter on "Mechanics" explains some of the physical principles underlying Prentice's whimsical sculptures. Photographs of works-in-progress, principal public commissions as well as occasional pieces created for casual amusement are punctuated by the artist's mordant, sometimes mischievous comments. "Prentice's sculptures . . .are about fluid movement and change, reminding us that everything is in flux. . . . Wonders of engineering, they create evanescent drawings in thin air." -Michael Amy, Art in America "What is grand in these sculptures is the sense of immensity created by their movements, a sense resonant with our most pleasurable apprehensions of land, sea, and sky." -Elaine Bleakney, Sculpture "These refined sculptures are never ponderous, plump or boring but constantly and slowly transforming themselves as though imbued by perpetuum mobile." -Karen Gerig, Basler Zeitung Experiencing Tim Prentice's work is like taking a ride on a roller coaster" -Catalog of the Connecticut Biennial