Collaboration with father Dennis Smith.
2003
40’w X 13’h X 14’d (approx.)
AVAILABLE
“Portal” was constructed over a period of about nine months. It was built primarily for the exhibit “Poetic Kinetics”. Dennis Smith first built the basic shape and form of the sculpture, incorporating several of his earlier assemblages. When the main shape was built Andrew then began adding motors, bearings and other kinetic movements. As Andrew added the rolling ball elements, Dennis began to paint and add additional color to the project. The sculpture incorporates the whimsy and fun elements of Andrews kinetic work intertwined with the metaphorical assemblage work of his father.
“Portal” has several different ball lifts including wheel lifts, spiral lifts, and chain lifts. The balls used on the sculpture are 1 inch chrome ball bearings. They travel on many tracks, some of which travel over the viewers head as they walk under the sculpture in one area.
“Portal” is powered by one AC motor and 3 gear motors. These motors power all kinds of wheels, gears, and belts that not only add visual movement to the sculpture, but power the many ball lifts and other features. It also has a wide variety of fun sounds including, bells, chimes, horns, whistles, and buzzers. As well as many different colored lights, and LED’s.
In order to get “Portal” to the museum it had to be disassembled and reassembled on site. This took about two weeks to accomplish.
