Latest news with #kineticArt
SBS Australia
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- SBS Australia
To be with one with the "Intangible" world of beaming red lights - Artist Mr. Shohei Fujimura
At this year's festival, the Tokyo-based artist is transforming the Capitol Theatre into a large kinetic sculpture with his installation titled 'instangible #form'. His work invites us all to explore the inner and outer truth of the universe through the sea of red laser beams and floating prisms. Listen to the full story on our podcast! SBS Japanese 05/06/2025 12:27 Credit: Shohei Fujimoto Listen to SBS Japanese Audio on Tue, Thu and Fri from 1pm on SBS 3. Replays from 10pm on Tue, Thu and Sat on SBS1. Listen to past stories from our podcast. Download the free SBS Audio App and don't forget to visit SBS Japanese Facebook and Instagram page!
CBS News
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Minnesota father-son duo's kinetic sculptures are featured in national museums, airports and even in Vegas
How a father and son are combining engineering and art How a father and son are combining engineering and art How a father and son are combining engineering and art In a small studio in Fergus Falls, the clinking and clanking of metal isn't noise, it's imagination in motion. Jeff Zachmann and his son Carl are kinetic sculptors, building mesmerizing, moving works of art that blend engineering and creativity. "I'm having the most fun," Jeff Zachmann said. "I live an artist's dream life." Together, the father and son travel the country showcasing and selling their sculptures. Their work has been featured in museums, hospitals, airports, private collections, even the Las Vegas Strip. For Jeff Zachmann, the journey started in childhood. Growing up in the Twin Cities suburbs, construction sites became makeshift playgrounds. "I would go out with my friends and my sisters and we'd build trails and tunnels for marbles," he said. "That's how it all started." He eventually went on to become a potter, crafting functional ceramic pieces for marbles to glide through. But he found clay too limiting. So he shifted to metal. After a few early prototypes, he was hesitant to show his work publicly. "My wife said, 'Jeff, you should do an art show with these.' And I was like, 'I've never seen anything like this. People are just going to laugh at me,'" he recalled. But to his surprise, people were fascinated. "Things just took off," Jeff Zachmann said. "Within six months, I didn't have time to do any pottery anymore at all." His third exhibit was at the prestigious Smithsonian Craft Show in Washington, D.C. "About an hour into it, these guys in their really expensive suits were on their knees, playing with these pieces on the ground," he said. "And I was like, 'Jeez, I've got something here.'" More than 1,100 sculptures later, Jeff still finds joy in every project, especially because he gets to work alongside his son. "Working with my son is amazing. It really is," Jeff Zachmann said. Carl Zachmann feels the same. "My father is one of the only people that I've ever encountered who thinks like me," he said. "This is just where all my interests in art, history and engineering just kind of all come together." While the elder Zachmann focuses on tracks and rolling marbles, the younger one pieces lean more into gears and mechanical motion. Their styles are distinct, but complementary. They don't plan on slowing down anytime soon. As long as there are ideas to build and marbles to roll, the Zachmanns will keep creating. "The one on my bench right now is number 1,137," Jeff Zachmann said. Their goal is simple: to spark a smile, a laugh, a moment of connection. "I think so many of us have so many things going on in our lives, so much stress, that I like to give a little island of calm and happiness to people," Jeff Zachmann said. "Art is about making people feel," Carl Zachmann added. "It can make you feel happy, it can make you feel sad, it can make you feel angry. And it just so happens that my father and I bring joy and happiness." For the son, the work is both a calling and a privilege. "It's a gift to be able to do engineering and art and see where they take you," he said.
