Kinetic Ikebana
Context
Drawing inspiration from the graceful vitality observed in time-lapse footage of sprouting flora, this kinetic sculpture seeks to emulate the subtle and serene plant growth as witnessed in nature. Kinetic sculptures can encapsulate nature's poetic and ever-evolving essence. In contrast, the art of ikebana shapes the chaos of organic blooms into meticulously curated forms, defined by points, lines, and color. Envisioning the fusion of these two realms sparks a curiosity — what beauty unfolds when the deliberate art of ikebana intersects with the fluid mimicry of kinetic sculpture?
Drawing inspiration from the graceful vitality observed in time-lapse footage of sprouting flora, this kinetic sculpture seeks to emulate the subtle and serene plant growth as witnessed in nature. Kinetic sculptures can encapsulate nature's poetic and ever-evolving essence. In contrast, the art of ikebana shapes the chaos of organic blooms into meticulously curated forms, defined by points, lines, and color. Envisioning the fusion of these two realms sparks a curiosity — what beauty unfolds when the deliberate art of ikebana intersects with the fluid mimicry of kinetic sculpture?
A clean pedestal and a top-down spotlight made the whole piece stand out and shine like a precious plant sprouting under the sun!
Inspirations
I was first inspired by the livelihood and elegance in the timelapses of plants sprouting and the curves in ikebana. Similarly, sculptural works by artists like Dale Chihuly also capture the sensitive, poetic, emotional quality in nature.
3D Modeling
Through adjusting a sphere gear model, I added modular design on top of the gears. I then explored different curves and simulated the vine movements in Blender to see them in motion.
Physical Fabrication
I 3D printed the form both on HP color 3D printer (for accuracy and light weight) and PLA 3D printer (for fast prototyping). I shelled the original core to fit a high-torque gear motor inside to control the movements. The challenges here are -
making sure the center gear is securely tightened to the motor shaft without slipping (achieved by using shaft connector and superglue);
placing the center gear at the perfect center so that it makes full contact with other gears without slipping;
Display Design
I explored two types of supports to celebrate the organic movement of the sculpture. The one using driftwood branch and stone echos the livelihood of the sculpture better than the footed plate.
