| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| ID | the:TensegrityMotif_20250513 |
| @type | rdfs:Resource, owl:Thing, skos:Concept |
| created | 2025-05-13 |
| definition | 'Tension T3' is a metaphor for human lives existing in a network. The structure is a T3 tensegrity prism. The female figures are the compression members of the structure interacting with their respective nodes in the network to keep the cables or tension members taut. One interpretation is woman's struggle to maintain the integrity of the system. This requires cooperation, perseverance and strength. Another interpretation is people's connections and how their actions impact other members of the network. A change to one component can cascade through the network affecting others, even the initiator of the action. Yet one more interpretation is a commentary on the internet and social media, the T3 with figures as a fragment of a broader virtual network. As the piece finds resonance with viewers more interpretations could emerge. A note on the abstraction of the figures. They are indistinct in their features for universal appeal. They show the muscular anatomy of the human body, not the skin. Muscle anatomy, not in a clinical sense, but in an expressive sense, the shape, form and movement of muscles in the context of physical endeavor, offers a rich artistic element. All of the muscles working together and the resulting body positions can be sublime. The muscle anatomy in this context is a human vehicle, more about motion, where the skin is more about containment. There is the question about looking like tensegrity and being tensegrity. If rigid, just looking like tensegrity, this may help with installation. Eliminating movement in the piece is perhaps easier to install. If true tensegrity, harder engineering, the piece is always in flex, absorbing strain as a unit. This can complicate installation. The physics of tensegrity do not rely on gravity to maintain system integrity, just compression and tension. Gravity acts on the system, perhaps perturbing it ever so slightly, but the system retains the same basic structure with or without gravity. Hence, these tensegrity system sculptures do not necessarily have an up and a down. The figures and network exist in space. T3 Tension has a familiar upright orientation, but it could be lying on its side and still make sense, though perhaps not as effectively. And if it were upside down, perhaps such a jarring vision could evoke an intended response in the viewer. As a template for future tensegrity sculptures, there should be no restriction on figure or sculpture orientation. The fundamental "rules" are: continuous tension, discontinuous compression, and stable equilibrium. The tension network holds the compressed elements in place, creating a self-stressing system where the elements are in a state of tension and compression that is stable. Key Principles of Tensegrity Continuous Tension: . A network of tensioned elements (like strings or cables) is essential, forming the structural "skin" of the system and holding it together. Discontinuous Compression: . The compression members (like bars or struts) are isolated within the tension network. They are arranged so they do not touch each other, but are held apart by the surrounding tensile elements. Stable Equilibrium: . The structure must be in a state of stable equilibrium. This means that the forces of tension and compression are precisely balanced, preventing the structure from collapsing or deforming into an unstable shape. Floating Compression: . The compressive members are held in place by the tension elements, effectively "floating" within the tensile network. Prestress: . To achieve stability and stiffness, a tensegrity structure relies on a state of "prestress," meaning there is an initial level of tension in the system that is maintained even when no external forces are applied. In essence A tensegrity structure uses cables to keep separate bars from touching, and the tension in the cables is balanced against the compressive forces acting on the bars to create a stable, self-contained system. |
| edited | 2025-10-09T10:16:09 |
| inScheme | the:digitalNotes |
| prefLabel | Tensegrity Motif Notes |
| tag | Tension Series |
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| tag | work:fb2ddcf2-1788-4191-940f-92fcdecedcb5 |
| label | Tension Series |
| description | The Tension Series explores the intersection of human form and structural geometry, translating the principles of tensegrity into expressive sculptural compositions. Each work stages a dynamic equilibrium between cooperation and instability--figures interlocked within frameworks that both support and constrain them. Through mirrored, faceted surfaces and mathematically derived architectures, the series examines how balance, connection, and strain coexist in physical and social systems. These sculptures occupy the threshold between the mechanical and the organic, revealing tension itself as both a structural condition and a metaphor for human interdependence. |
*If you add the query "?format=ttl" to the URL for this page the TTL for the items's instance is returned. Other formats supported include: "RDF/XML", "RDF/XML-ABBREV", "N-TRIPLES", "TURTLE", (and "TTL") and "N3" with lower case supported