My store and first offering on Etsy are now both live:
What is “Pacem Mechanica”?
“Cog in a machine” is a pejorative today, yet in the mechanical world, it is the most vital component; all work flows through that tiny-yet-tough motor-driven gear. My kinetic sculpture represents that, giving color and focus onto the hard-working driving wheel through which the whole process moves forward.
Today, vital “cogs” are everywhere, unsung, often unseen, yet the focal point of many companies and businesses (and families). I celebrate this with this sculpture. The driving force is here a bright and highly visible wheel; the slow motion belies a hidden power; yet that little wheel is what makes the whole sculpture move. It is where it belongs, and the whole is greatly enhanced because of it.
But gears are also therapeutic – try watching a gear in motion and feel the calming effect of its regular movement on the soul. We often think of swaying trees and ocean breezes as relaxing – yet watch this gear move slowly around and see a man made version.
These gears also hide subtle clues to the sculpture’s business orientation. The teeth on each gear were selected deliberately, 15 on the smaller gear and 60 on the larger one. In the business world, 15 and 60 are common time lengths (the larger gear also moves clockwise, a further hint), but there’s another, more subtle message: The little gear has to turn four times to turn the big gear once. As the old phrase goes, “working twice as hard to make half the pay”, and that difference is embodied in this 4:1 ratio.
As well, the large gear is noticeable; it has five spokes reminiscent of a splayed human figure that’s easily visible. Many companies have figureheads seen far and wide, and yet they can all point to an unsung hero who helps keep the day to day business steady and in motion. Think of it as a gift for “Executive Assistant’s Day” or a Silent Partner and you get an idea of the motivation I had for this sculpture!
For more information, visit my Etsy store UtopiaMechanicus.
