Definition of Kinetic Art
Kinetic Art is the perception of movement within art or the implementation of actual movement within mobile structures of art.
Thus a painting can give the perception of movement while a 3d sculpture can be created with moving parts.
Each of these can be considered Kinetic Art by historical definition despite modern designation by category or common vernacular. It is one of the more unique ways to create sculptures with true form in art.
In between these two examples exists a wide array of possible combinations. Artists of history have used simple elements such as light to create perceived movement. Today technology allows for much more potential behind this art in a very powerful way.
Kinetic Art Background
The birth of Kinetic Art is most often attributed to our near modern era dating from around 1910 with artists such as Marcel Duchamp. While his bicycle wheel was an object of motion and it was kinetic, this was not the true beginning.

The early 1900’s period of history within Kinetic Art is associated with what is called the Dada movement. Its focus was a position which stood against the norms of society.
At its core the desire was to make statements or arouse questions rather than to be art within its own right.
In this way the dates often attributed to this art are more closely connected to the movements which used the art for their purposes. It would take another 50 years for another contrarian society to finally bring this concept into the mainstream of the art world.
With this shift would bring an evolution in art that today holds great influence across a wide spectrum of design including architecture.
Pre 1900 Kinetic Art
It would be within the late 19th Century that the concept of what would become Kinetic Art came to rise. With artists such as Monet and other Impressionist artists, their desire was to allow their art to show movement from the natural world.
Their desire for realism would be much like capturing a state of motion similar to a photograph. The problem is that they considered themselves to be Impressionist using an element of movement in art, not kinetic artists.
It would be the later broad brush of what people attempted to define as Kinetic Art which would encompass the works of those like Monet.
Van Gogh himself was known for using the principle of movement which would broadly qualify as Kinetic Art. This can be seen within works such as “Starry Night”.
While this is perceived movement rather than mechanical it proves a valid point to art history.
There have been generations of artists within history that have sought to capture movement within art. The terminology of what Kinetic Art is essentially became a “monkier” by which to classify this principle.
One can look to much older Greek art to also find kinetic qualities. The same could be said for art within the Renaissance.
Kinetic Art has always been with us yet known to different peoples by different names.
The early kinetic movement was reaching to be seen as a real movement within art despite resistance and criticism. The broad brush they used to define their art for a short time would have re-categorized many other works.
Our modern view of Kinetic Art is different though to those broader definitions of history.
Relationship Between Kinetic Art and Opt Art
Opt Art holds a direct relationship to Kinetic Art yet from another avenue. Where traditional kinetic paintings could come from an Impressionist view, Opt Art is focused on illusion or optical effects.
When the optical art creates movement, or rather the illusion of it, then it is considered to be Kinetic Art. This illusion is not confined to painting or other 2d representation.

Sculptures can have this effect as well yet it will depend upon how the artist has rendered its form. This illusionary art is a separate category from those which possesses actual movement by mechanical parts.
Art with mechanical movement have also been called “Mechanical Sculptures”.
While the term Opt Art comes from the 1960’s its preceding and parent term from the 1950’s was called Apparent Movement. Note that not all Apparent Movement is equal or the same as the optical illusion.
The optical illusion variety would be considered a sub set of the parent set. Older paintings and sculptures within history can therefore show Apparent Movement while not being qualified as Opt Art.
All can by definition exist within what has been broadly called Kinetic Art.
Why Are There Many Categories Within Kinetic Art?
There are two core reasons for the complexity behind there being so many categories for Kinetic Art. First is the fact that the kinetic movement of the early 1900s met resistance and through time artists sought to be accepted more broadly.
With this the term itself became more common and its definition expanded. It was a cool idea for the period.

The second reason for its broad application comes from having real practical application across many forms of media. This becomes more apparent and obvious as technology and techniques improved with time.
As the time line moves forward to our present digital age cgi, robotics, and new media art allow for a new world of movement. No longer is the movement implied nor is it dependent upon optical illusion.
It is in fact Kinetic Art though through software that can allow rendering in a two or three dimensional format. This format can be physical or virtual, and at present development is being applied towards augmented reality.
As these techniques and technology continue to move forward so does the continued classification of what we define Kinetic Art to be. Within the digital world though rests a category with its own parent set and sub sets of terms to define what that art is.
1940’s to 1960’s Kinetic Art
It is here that we begin to see the true rise of what we know Kinetic Art to be within our modern era. Removed is the broader definition but rather its true scope of influence is born.
While the preceding movement was more of an anti statement to society, what would come in the mid 20th century would revolutionize art.
Within the 1940s through the 50s the concept of this art faced difficulty and was generally rejected by many. Victor Vasarely was a Hungarian French artist who is considered to be the father of the Opt Art movement.
His work is credited with paving the way for what Kinetic Art would become despite the criticism he faced. His earlier works up until roughly 1951 focused on geometrical art of optical illusions.
Then to 1955 he focused on photographic illusions in the style of the present popular monochromatic format.
Up to 1965 he then focused on the permutations of geometric forms by shape, size, and color. This concept continued with the endless transformation of the hexagon within his work “Tribute to the Hexagon”.
It was within this same era that geometric art and monochrome art was on the rise. Along with the birth of modern abstract concepts, this new turn of Kinetic Art with optical illusion was a natural evolution.
It is here that Opt Art was born.
By 1967 his work had made its way to New York, and in 1970 he had his own museum which held nearly 500 of his works from across his lifetime.
Modern Kinetic Art
Modern examples of Kinetic Art are more closely associated with structures or mobiles which depend upon a mechanized means of movement, or designs which imply it.
Despite its historical broader definition which can encompass a wider range of art, this more specific classification is often the intended meaning by vernacular for Kinetic Art.

Older representations of implied movement by Impressionists like Monet were merely using movement as an element within the art itself.
Today this generally accepted perception applies to concepts within digital arts as well having their own classification.
We can call cgi kinetic, yet common vernacular would simply call it cgi. While all of these arts are kinetic, the broadly used “monkier” from this older period began to define a more specific form of art.
Kinetic Art can be found in abundance today across the world. Sculptural machines are very intriguing in what artists can achieve with them.
Likewise you will find structures built as landmarks which imply motion and have great depth to its meaning.
Illusionary art still holds its place as Opt Art and as a form of Kinetic Art. Yet you will almost never see someone describe Van Gogh or Monet as being defined as kinetic.
Monet for example was indeed an Impressionist artist.
I have seen examples of modern art where I would use the word kinetic to describe the art. Virtual book covers for electronic books is a great example.
Despite using basic cgi, it really brings the old world feel into the modern age with its representation.
Is Kinetic Art Officially Recognized By The Art Community?
Kinetic Art is definitely recognized by the broader art community. In November of 2013 the MIT Museum dedicated a space for works of this nature. The exhibition was called “5000 Moving Parts”.
Its acceptance is much broader than that of being only within Western cultures. China has long recognized Kinetic Art and is known for displaying these works of art in public spaces.
Many can be seen in locations such as airports.
Japanese sculptor Harayuki Uchida is well known for his work and was recently praised for what is called “Merry Gate” in 2020. Other popular names such as Zero Higashida and Keizo Ushio are well known and you will find great works by these Japanese artists.
While the idea of Kinetic Art may be more specifically isolated to its modern genre, it is by no means dead. It is alive and ever growing with more complexity.
With this you begin to find more incorporation of this art to modern architecture and also decor mobiles.
Mobile Kinetic Art Influence On Decor
One of the greater impacts which Kinetic Art has had is found within its mobiles of home decor. These mobiles are mass produced renderings of artistic pieces that can be hung from ceilings.
Often they can be found over counter spaces or tables. They also are frequently used to fill void space in rooms with high ceilings to offer an artistic ambiance in the room.
These mobiles are generations away from the intent and purpose behind Kinetic Art from the early 1900’s. No longer is this about making statements pertaining to society or giving pause to ask questions.
Today it is focused more on aesthetics and beauty.
The irony here is that by origin this art form was anything but aesthetic. Its very purpose was the anti to what aesthetic was.
Yet with time artists and designers have adapted the concept to reinvent its purpose for a greater means.
Our Fascination Of Kinetics And Its Message
Human nature has a way of being fascination with moving objects. Kinetic Art fills this fascination. This is one of the beautiful things about the art form.
Influence has reached beyond what we would commonly think of. Today you can find kinetic jewelery if that is your thing.
This art form will not go away. It will remain with us and continue to impress future generations that will come. Within it can be a message that we can carry forward in time.
The advantage to Kinetic Art is that it allows us to place landmarks in public places to be seen. Its message will stand and last to all who come by to see.
The question becomes what is the message that we will leave behind?
Most other art forms are designated to galleries and private owners to be hidden away rather than in the open. With Kinetic Art we have the ability to create a space for all to see to impress a broader boundary of definition.
While the early 1900s designation of what this art was may have been a gimmick, what this art has become today stands within its own right and can be powerful.