Susan Pascal Beran

Kinetic Sculpture

HOME

 

MOVIES

of Pascal Beran Sculpture

 

Commissions

 

Upcoming Events

 

View the Kinetic Cube

Contact  Pascal Beran Sculptures email or phone

Susan Pascal Beran

 

Phone & FAX:   (415)456-5870

 

 

The waves are pounding and the fog is rolling in.  The house, an architect's dream of square, refractiles into a myriad of windows, each an eager view to the sea, facing into the sun's last rays.  There, where sight meets sea and sand...Or perhaps the place is more humble. A corner of a yard where the residents sit and dream...or plant beans.  

 

 

Creating designs specifically for environments is not only exciting, but also particularly important with larger works and unique settings.  Different considerations go into the process.  Among these are environmental factors such as weather, placement, style, and themes.  Next, the clients' need s and visions come into play. Then, the final magical ingredient - the leap of inspiration - brings it all together.

Click HERE to view a movie showing kinetic sculpture

 

 

SSIII; E.M.I.  (left)

This 18' x 6' x 5' triple solar system mobile is installed indoors in a 50' high lobby at Spieker property's Gateway office headquarters in San Jose, California.  Jewel tone enameling with Italian glass rondels sparkle against the cool white back drop as the elements gently revolve.

SÕL RISE  (right)

SÕl Rise was designed specifically to go with the open, arching, gothic yet modern loose lines of this residence by architect Jerry Smania.  SÕl Rise incorporates a planar swirling helix.  Below this are vertically positioned moving helixes which swirl about the horizontal.  Ascending around a hand blown Italian glass rondel of rich fire colors, cloud shapes blow back and forth in synchronization due to a special boomerang-based design.

site3.JPG (12921 bytes)

STARBURST

Click on Thumbnail to view larger image.

Indeed, two of my more significant site specific pieces, (Diaphanous Yo Tien below and The Tree of Life at left) could almost be said to have grown out of their environments, they fit so well in many ways.  As architect James Walter has said 

 

"The interesting thing about a Beran is that after it's in place, one can never imagine the space without it".

                                   - James Walter, Architect 

 

TREE OF LIFE  (right)

Click on Thumbnail to view larger image.

Commissioned by the City of San Jose, California, this 25 foot public sculpture stands in Raoul Wallenberg Park.  The body of the work is primarily stainless, but many copper enameled wind-catchers move the three-tiered multi-directional structure.  Smaller twirling elements bedeck the branches, and there is a colored concrete "root" system.  

site4.JPG (24664 bytes)

The "Tree" originated in response to the community's request for artwork that would express their identity.  Historically, the area was a fruit orchard for the gold-rush miners, but grew into a large multi-cultural community.  Their heart and unity are symbolized by the tree of life, a universal metaphor for the connectedness of all things.  Children donated drawings of things important to them - peace handshakes, pets, friends, etc. - to be enameled on.  They now swirl together on the branches of this sculpture.

site6.JPG (21077 bytes)

DIAPHANOUS YO TIEN: THE DRAGON'S EGG

Click on Thumbnail to view larger image.

This piece has 35 various kinetic elements that swoop, twirl, twist, rock and circle like the surrounding wildlife. 

Click HERE to view a movie showing kinetic sculpture

The diversity of designs and sites reflect the wide versatility of my pieces.  Ranging from the thoroughly contemporary setting (Study in Squares) to the classical Tudor style home in upstate New York (Rosebud), to the unexpected mix of geometric architectural and delicately natural (Starburst, in Sarasota Florida), the pieces appear magically made for the moment.  

CETACEA

Designed to compliment architecture by James Hubbell, Cetacea is a three-tiered multidirectional sculpture whose wind catchers distill the essence of wings and fins.

site5.JPG (18661 bytes)

Click on Thumbnail to view larger image.

site7.JPG (11799 bytes) site8.JPG (23130 bytes)

ROSEBUD (left)

Here a 'grande' (12') version of the classic Rosebud goes beautifully outside a traditional Tudor style home in New York State.

Click HERE for a moving showing kinetic sculpture

STUDY IN SQUARES (above)

The playfulness of the squares within squares in the architecture of the building (top image, SII) called out for this piece.  The squares tumble about in planes of motion which are interdependent and within each other.  Each axis is at right angles to the next, creating an intricate Pythagorean ballet.  The Study in Squares has very sophisticated geometrically precise motion.

OSPREY (right)

Created for the cloisters of the naturally situated Santa Barbara Mission, this piece has three different kinetic elements.  

 

site9.JPG (25559 bytes)

 

 

 

 

 

The top piece swoops like an osprey, the middle swirls like water, and the lowest tumbles and dives like fish.

Return to HOME page

About Pascal Beran ] Classic ] Mobiles ] [ Site Specific ] Kinetic Cube ] Universal Themes ] Basics ] Commissions ] Acquisition ] Movies ] Upcoming Events ]

All work displayed on this website are the property of Susan Pascal Beran, and may not be copied nor used without her express permission.  © 2006/2007

This web site was created by an artist for an artist.  For website information or comments, please contact the WebMaven