Designing and Building Kinetic Mobiles

Designing and Building Kinetic Mobiles

In the fall of 2011, I re-kindled my interest in mobiles dating back to my junior year in high school. I signed up for a workshop in Making Kinetic Mobiles, offered by Vladimir Barsukov at the Emerson Umbrella Center for the Arts in Concord, MA. I set up a workshop in the basement in Rodger’s defunct darkroom and created several mobiles including the ones shown here. It’s a tricky business to get the right balance and avoid interference with so many swinging parts - not to mention the recovery process if it all falls on the floor!

Update: Since the untimely death of Vladimir Barsukov in December, 2013, a group of his former students have met to continue making kinetic mobiles together. Click anywhere in text to visit our blog.

Clockwise from left:

Carousel of Cats

Birds in Flight

“Turtles All the Way Down”

Trio