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Artworks on View
Art is everywhere at the Exploratorium. Here are some of the artworks currently on display—and where to find them.
Uroborus: A Snake Chasing Its Tail
Norman Tuck, 1994
In this device, a motor turns a wooden snake tail. When the tail pushes the snake head, it changes the connections and the motor changes direction.
Where: Gallery 2: Tinkering
Vortex
Douglas Hollis, 1979
A twist of a knob sets water jets in motion, causing water in this giant cylindrical tank to spin. Soon, a tiny vortex appears at the surface, gradually swelling in size as it snakes downward.
Where: Fisher Bay Observatory Gallery 6, Mezzanine
Wave Organ
Peter Richards, George Gonzales, 1986
Sound at this wave-activated acoustic sculpture is created by the impact of waves against the pipe ends and the subsequent movement of the water in and out of the pipes. The sound heard at the site is subtle, requiring visitors to become sensitized to its music, and at the same time to the music of the environment.
Where:
Within 15 Minutes
Alma Haser, 2017
Alma Haser photographed sets of identical twins and made them into identical jigsaw puzzles. She then swapped every other piece of their puzzles, completely mixing them half and half. Not always knowing where their eyes mouth, and lips would end up, the result is a pair of eerie, unrecognizable portraits.
Where: Gallery 4: Living Systems
Your Turn Counts
Norman Tuck, 2013
From simple wooden gears to metal flip type, glow discharge tubes, and iPads, Your Turn Counts actually counts the turns of a handle using increasingly modern technology as the orders of magnitude grow. A playful experiment in participation and patience.
Where: Gallery 2: Tinkering
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