Kinetic Sculpture

Duchamp Bicycle Wheel: Kinetically realized

Hommage á Duchamp, Tinguely, et Ganson:
The wheel rotates continuously about its hub while the fork rotates about the bicycle steering axis, driven by the six-toothed pinion engaging the internal gear (finishing nails) on the stool top. Two commutator (slip) rings under the stool top provide the required 110volt power to a 60rpm synchronous motor- thus the wheel can be started in either direction.
The chocolate grinder drums are "driven" by the rotation of the pinion sheave- its axial "cap" in counter rotation- and the scissors are activated by a small crank on the motor shaft.
As the wheel turns the fractured Nude endlessly "Descends" her Staircase.

Watch video clips.

Note: QuickTime required: Download QuickTime
           If you have "dial-up" click- General or Details for faster (serial) loading.

Designed and built by W.C.Atkinson (2005)

For background material see:
MoMA   (what my daughter requested),
Bicycle Wheel,  
Marcel Duchamp ,  
Jean Tinguely, and  
Arthur Ganson.

Work owned by Margaret K. Atkinson, Brooklyn, NY
Stool and base courtesy Cohasset, MA dump (Gail Bryan)
Fork and wheel courtesy Weston, MA dump
Pinion design concept courtesy A.Ganson
Video clips courtesy D.Tucker and W.Clack