Client: Ohio Arts Council

Overview

This functioning Foucault Pendulum swings over a series of glass disks with etched images of local geography and cosmology. Integral LED lights were programmed to sequentially activate the imagery on the disks. As the “bob” of the pendulum swings over the disks, the LED-lit imagery slowly emerges and recedes with the swinging of the pendulum.

Goals

This is an art piece that is also a scientific instrument. Foucault pendulums can be used to tell time, illustrate the rotation of the earth, and indicate local latitude. Installed in a University Physics building, the integration of this artwork into this scientific setting was a key condition for the overall design.

Process

This was a collaboration between the artist and the building's architects. The pendulum is installed in a public area of this University Physics building. This area was altered to accommodate the pendulum, including the addition of structure and electrical curcuitry to operate the pendulum.