Kenneth Snelson (born June 29, 1927) is a contemporary sculptor and photographer. His sculptural works, composed of flexible and rigid components, are arranged according to the idea of tensegrity.
Snelson claims that Buckminster Fuller, who was once his professor, took credit for Snelson's discovery of the concept of tensegrity. Fuller gave the idea its name, combining 'tension' and 'structural integrity.' The geodesic domes which Fuller populari...
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Kenneth Snelson (born June 29, 1927) is a contemporary sculptor and photographer. His sculptural works, composed of flexible and rigid components, are arranged according to the idea of tensegrity.
Snelson claims that Buckminster Fuller, who was once his professor, took credit for Snelson's discovery of the concept of tensegrity. Fuller gave the idea its name, combining 'tension' and 'structural integrity.' The geodesic domes which Fuller popularized are the most commonly known structures whose composition depends on tensegrity.
The height and strength of Snelson's sculptures, which are often delicate in appearance, depend on the tension between rigid pipes and flexible cables. This is achieved through "a win-win combination of push and pull."
Snelson was born in Pendleton, Oregon in 1927. He studied at the University of Oregon in Eugene, at the Black Mountain College, and with Fernand Léger in Paris. His sculpture and photography have been exhibited at over 25 one-man shows in...
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