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Windchimes
2006-01-22 Rev. 2006-03-14, -06-26, 2008-03-18, -03-19 split
Mobiles are hanging arrangements of items that move easily in the breeze arranged so large portions are balanced against small portions or devices made like that to move with a motor. National Gallery of Art-Calder Exhibition Stabiles and Mobiles
| The originals were created by Alexander Calder ("'mobile' -- a word coined in 1931 by artist Marcel Duchamp") and consisted of brightly painted metal plates connected by short wires such that movement was restricted and the overall pattern of shapes could not change much. (right) His tend to arc outward, pieces perhaps suggesting splash marks of a stone skipped on water. Some of his plates were mounted flat (below) and others vertically. Clouds, below, are kept in line and are turned from the center pivot. Lighter pieces, right, involve shadow interplay on the wall from directed lighting. | |
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I grew up with mobiles made by my mother in the late 40's and early 50's where the items being hung might be seashells or leaves or metal representations of leaves. These were mounted on longish rods or thin branches and were free to pivot completely around. While at Iowa State University in the mid - 60's, I built a stage set for a synchronized swimming show that involved oversized representations of a cupped hand, a window outline, etc., that were related to the show's swimming numbers and were hung on 25' long thin wood pieces that would have snapped except for a light rope yoke on each that controlled the bending of the wood and provided a pleasant curve to the support.
Making a mobile with glass pieces involves dealing with the weight of the glass. One can make a bold statement with heavier pieces of wire, use wood shapes, or add a yoke as with the stage piece. Notice the truss structure of the supports for the Calder clouds unit above, consider how much heavier it would look if the beam side were filled in. Or one can intentionally use a light pieces of glass as will produce the effect.
Building a mobile is a matter of arranging the pieces in a
pleasing layout, perhaps on a piece of paper, sketching the support rods, then
building from the bottom up, making each pair balance then each group balance
against the counter item. With practice, noticing the very heavy that will
balance against several items becomes obvious, but at first it is likely that a
layout will be attempted that can not be made to balance and also be attractive.
I use carpet thread most often and use a basic slip knot for fastening so I can
adjust for balance and appearance, coming
back with a touch of glue to fix the location and knot in place.
I have found that I like a denser arrangement of pieces in most cases - that is,
I like to have all the pieces forming a closely related visual group that shifts
within the group. There are two other alternatives. One is a very
sparse arrangement - Calder used, during WWII, 3 or 4 wood shapes a few inches
across that were spaced over several feet, the hanging wires being lines
connecting the pieces.. The other is in between - an arrangement that is
closely related at times but some or all of the elements swing out well away
from the concentrated area - this requires a hanging arrangement of short arms
and long arms so the piece unfolds from the compact position.