Wikipedia

Ned Kahn

Ned Kahn is an environmental artist and sculptor, known in particular for museum exhibits, one of which is the Exploratorium in San Francisco. His work usually intends to make an invisible aspect of nature, visible.

Ned Kahn
Kahn, photographed in 2008
Born1959 or 1960 (age 64–65)[1]
Alma materUniversity of Connecticut
AwardsMacArthur Fellows Program
2003
National Design Award
2005
Websitenedkahn.com

Early life

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Kahn was born in New York City and raised in Stamford, Connecticut.[2] At the age of 10, he staged his first exhibition of sculptures fashioned from salvaged junkyard items, where his mother had taken him.[3]

After graduating with a degree in botany and environmental science from the University of Connecticut, in 1982, Kahn moved to San Francisco, where he was fascinated by the Exploratorium.[4] He worked there from 1982 to 1996 under the tutelage of the museum's founder, Frank Oppenheimer.[1] In 2001, Kahn became the artist in residence at the Headlands Center for the Arts.[5]

Kahn moved from San Francisco to Graton, California[1] in 1998[5] and works from the Ned Kahn Studios in Sebastopol.[6] He is married and has two children. Kahn cites his daily meditation routine as key to his artistic development.[3]

Awards

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Often when you ask scientists, 'How did you get into your field?', you find out it was an aesthetic experience. Geologists just love rocks. It's the sensory connection that gets them started.

 — Ned Kahn, quoted in 2004 Sunset magazine article[4]

Kahn won a MacArthur Foundation "genius grant" fellowship in 2003,[7][8] and the National Design Award for landscape architecture in 2005.[9][10]

Works

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Cloud Rings at the Exploratorium

Some examples of Kahn's work to capture the invisible include building facades that move in waves in response to wind;[11][12] indoor tornadoes and vortices made of fog, steam, or fire;[13] and a transparent sphere containing water and sand which, when spun, erodes a beach-like ripple pattern into the sand surface. In 2003 Kahn collaborated with Koning Eizenberg Architecture, Inc. on Articulated Cloud, a piece installed on the exterior walls of the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh consisting of hundreds of movable flaps that respond to the wind creating visible patterns.[11]

His work is in the collection of di Rosa, Napa.[14]

Selected works by Ned Kahn[15]
Title Image Element Location City State/
Country 		Year Notes Refs.
Aeolian Landscape   Sand Museum of Life and Science Durham North Carolina 1993 Also on exhibit at the Exploratorium in San Francisco. [5][16]
Articulated Cloud   Wind Children's Museum of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pennsylvania 2004 Collaboration with Konig/Eizenberg [11][17]
Avalanche   Sand Children's Museum of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pennsylvania 2011 A similar piece named Negev Wheel has been exhibited at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco. [1][18]
Braided Stream Wind Exploratorium San Francisco California [19]
Breathing Sky Fog Yerba Buena Center for the Arts San Francisco California 1995
Bus Jet Fountain   Water Salesforce Transit Center San Francisco California 2018 [20]
Chain of Ether Wind ResMed Corporation San Diego California 2009 [21]
Chaotic Pendulum Exploratorium San Francisco California [22]
Circadian Wind   Wind Circa Parking Deck Los Angeles California 2019
Circular Wave Umbrella Wind Exploratorium San Francisco California [23]
Cloud Arbor   Fog Buhl Community Park Pittsburgh Pennsylvania 2012 Collaboration with Andi Cochran [1]
Cloud Portal   Fog Davis Court San Francisco California 2011 Collaboration with RHAA [24]
Cloud Rings   Fog 21c Museum Hotel Louisville Louisville Kentucky 2006 An installation with the same name is on exhibit at the Exploratorium in San Francisco. [25][26]
Cloud Vessel Fog The Docks Sacramento California 2010 Collaboration with Walker Macy [27][28]
Digitized Field   Wind AT&T Building Santa Rosa California 2004 [5][29][30]
Divided Sea Water Emerald Glen Park Dublin California 2004 [8][31][32]
Duales Systems Pavilion Fog Expo 2000 Hanover Germany 2000 Collaboration with Uwe Bruckner
Enagua Wind Playa Vista Los Angeles California 2015 Collaboration with Johnson/Fain [33]
Encircled Cloud Fog Paradise Ridge Winery and Sculpture Garden Santa Rosa California 2012
Encircled Stream Water Founders Court
Seattle Center 		Seattle Washington 1995 Collaboration with Atelier Landscape Architects
Encircled Void Wind Bertolini Student Center
Santa Rosa Junior College 		Santa Rosa California 2010
Erratic Fence Wind Sonoma County Museum Santa Rosa California 2015 Collaboration with Jensen Architects
Feather Wall Wind Robert B. Green Clinical Pavilion San Antonio Texas 2012 Collaboration with Overland Partners and RTKL
Field of Air Wind Denver International Airport
between Jeppesen Terminal and Westin Hotel 		Denver Colorado 2015 Collaboration with Gensler [34][35]
Fire Vortex Fire/Light Technorama Winterthur Switzerland 1997
Firefly   Fire/Light San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
Civic Center 		San Francisco California 2012 [36][1][37]
Fluvial Storm Sand Exploratorium San Francisco California 1990
Glacial Facade Fire/Light Issaquah Highlands Park and Ride Issaquah Washington 2006
Greenhouse Project Fire/Light San Francisco County Jail 3 San Bruno California 1990
Hidden Sea Wind Ceatrice Polite Apartments San Francisco California 2000 [38]
Hyperbolic Paraboloid Wind Crossroads School Santa Monica California 2015 Collaboration with Fred Fisher
Liquid Pixels   Wind Rosslyn
1801 N Lynn St 		Arlington Virginia 2002
Magnetic Field Stone Sand Exploratorium San Francisco California 1996
Mare Undurum   Fire/Light Tempe Center for the Arts Tempe Arizona 2008
Microturbines Wind Santa Rosa Junior College Santa Rosa California 2009
Net of Indra Fire/Light Automated Garage at City Hall West Hollywood California Collaboration with Rick D'Amato
Pebble Chime Sand Discovery World
Pier Wisconsin 		Milwaukee Wisconsin 2006
Pedibrion Falls Water 21c Museum Hotel Durham Durham North Carolina 2015
Prairie Tree Wind Nicollet Mall Minneapolis Minnesota 2017 [39]
Prism Tunnel   Fire/Light Children's Garden
Huntington Library Gardens 		San Marino California 2004
Project Lions   Wind Debenhams flagship
Oxford Street 		London England 2014 Collaboration with Archial Architects
Quantum Wave   Water ATF Headquarters Washington District of Columbia 2008
Rain Oculus   Water Marina Bay Sands Singapore 2011 Collaboration with Moshe Safdie [40][1]
Rain Portal Water San Francisco Public Utilities Commission San Francisco California 2012 Deaccessioned in 2018 due to persistent leakage. [41][42]
Rainbow Arbor   Fog Skirball Cultural Center Los Angeles California 2008 Collaboration with Moshe Safdie [18][43]
Rift Zone Sand Exploratorium San Francisco California [44]
Seismic Sea Water Pasadena Museum of California Art Pasadena California 2009
Sonic Pool   Water Children's Garden
Huntington Library Gardens 		San Marino California 2004
Sonic Range   Sand Exploratorium San Francisco California 1992 [45]
Spoonfall   Water H2 Hotel Healdsburg California 2010
Subducted Landscapes Sand Chevron Texaco Headquarters San Ramon California 2002
Technorama Facade   Wind Technorama
The Swiss Science Center 		Winterthur Switzerland 2002
Tipping Wall Water Marina Bay Sands Singapore 2011 Collaboration with Moshe Safdie [18]
Tornado   Fog World Financial Center
Battery Park City 		New York New York 1990 Also on exhibit at the Exploratorium in San Francisco. [13][46]
Turbulent Line Wind Brisbane Airport Brisbane Australia 2012 Collaboration with UAP [1]
Turbulent Orb   Water World Financial Center
Battery Park City 		New York New York 1990 Also on exhibit at the Exploratorium in San Francisco. [47]
Turbulent Shade Wind City Hall Chandler Arizona 2010
Vertical Canal Wind Rijkswaterstaat Utrecht Netherlands 2008
The Wave Wind Target Field Minneapolis Minnesota 2010 Collaboration with Tom Oslund and Associates
Wave Oculus   Water Union Point Pier Oakland California 2006
Wavespout (Breathing Sea) Water Ventura Pier San Buenaventura California 1993 Destroyed by 1995 storm along with 420 feet (130 m) of the Pier [4][48][49][50]
Wind Arbor   Wind Marina Bay Sands Singapore 2011 Collaboration with Moshe Safdie
Wind Cube Wind [private collection] Santa Rosa California 2005
Wind Fence   Wind University of Oregon Eugene Oregon [18]
Wind Fingers Wind [private collection] Sebastopol California
Wind Fins Wind Neiman Marcus Walnut Creek California 2012 [51]
Wind House Wind DiRosa Art and Nature Preserve Napa California 2003
Wind Leaves Wind Discovery World
Pier Wisconsin 		Milwaukee Wisconsin 2006
Wind Portal   Wind San Francisco International Airport station San Francisco California 2003 [5][8]
Wind Roundabout Wind Traffic roundabout Fort Worth Texas 2015 [52]
Wind Silos Wind International Trade Center Charlotte North Carolina 2006 [53][54]
Wind Veil Wind Gateway Village Charlotte North Carolina 2000 [8][12]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Greenwald, Jeff (July 31, 2011). "Ned Kahn: The Limits of the Knowable". Smithsonian. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  2. ^ Decarlo, Tessa (1996-08-18). "Persuading Nature to Perform Its Stormy Weather Dances". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  3. ^ a b Greenwald, Jeff (Fall 2004). "The Art of Inquiry". Tricycle. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  4. ^ a b c Fish, Peter (August 14, 2004). "The Nature of Art". Sunset. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  5. ^ a b c d e Horvath, Alex (August 12, 2005). "sculpting the elements / Sonoma artist's vision makes the invisible visible in patterns of water, shadow, light". san Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  6. ^ "Ned Kahn: About". Denver Public Art. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  7. ^ "Ned Kahn, Artist and Science Exhibit Designer | Class of 2003". MacArthur Foundation. October 5, 2003. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  8. ^ a b c d Asimov, Nanette (October 5, 2003). "Genius rewarded / 3 from Bay Area win grants from MacArthur Foundation". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  9. ^ "2005 National Design Award Winners". Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. 24 September 2019. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  10. ^ "Winners of the Sixth Annual National Design Awards". Dexigner. October 21, 2005. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  11. ^ a b c "Articulated Cloud". Americans for the Arts. 15 May 2019. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  12. ^ a b "Wind Veil". Americans for the Arts. 15 May 2019. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  13. ^ a b "Tornado". Exploratorium. 29 November 2017. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  14. ^ "Collection in Focus: Ned Kahn | di Rosa". 22 December 2015.
  15. ^ Kahn, Ned. "Portfolio". Ned Kahn. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
  16. ^ "Aeolian Landscape by Ned Kahn". Exploratorium. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  17. ^ "Articulated Cloud | Ned Kahn". Arch2O. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  18. ^ a b c d Paull, Laura (July 29, 2016). "Humongous wheel at CJM turns Israeli sand into art". The Jewish News of Northern California. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  19. ^ "Braided Stream". Exploratorium. 10 April 2018. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  20. ^ Casey, Cindy (October 2, 2018). "Bus Jet Fountain". Art and Architecture SF. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  21. ^ Showley, Roger (April 6, 2012). "ResMed: A palace of art that inspires office workers". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  22. ^ "Chaotic Pendulum". Exploratorium. 5 April 2018. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  23. ^ "Circular Wave Umbrella by Ned Kahn". Exploratorium. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  24. ^ Casey, Cindy (January 16, 2013). "Cloud Portal". Art and Architecture SF. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  25. ^ "Cloud Rings". Exploratorium. 10 April 2018. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  26. ^ "Cloud Rings by Ned Kahn: Maintenance Instructions" (PDF). Exploratorium. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  27. ^ "Cloud Vessel". Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  28. ^ "Project: Docks Promenade". Walker Macy. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  29. ^ "Digitized Field". Creative Sonoma. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  30. ^ "Ned Kahn Public Art Projects". City of Santa Rosa. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  31. ^ "Emerald Glen Park". City of Dublin, California. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  32. ^ Casey, Laura (April 20, 2008). "Roving art piece rolls into Dublin". East Bay Times. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  33. ^ Arias, Rob (August 23, 2018). "Two Emeryville Marina public art finalists selected to evoke memory of historic mudflat sculptures". The E'ville Eye. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  34. ^ Rinaldi, Ray Mark (May 15, 2013). "Denver hopes to buy $2 million sculpture by Ned Kahn". The Denver Post. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  35. ^ Rinaldi, Ray Mark (November 25, 2015). "DIA's $6 million worth of big, new art". The Denver Post. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  36. ^ "Firefly". Americans for the Arts. 15 May 2019. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  37. ^ Casey, Cindy (September 17, 2012). "Firefly on the new SFPUC Building". Art and Architecture SF. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  38. ^ Casey, Cindy (September 22, 2012). "Hidden Sea near Moscone Center". Art and Architecture SF. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  39. ^ "Ned Kahn: Prairie Tree Alights on Nicollet Mall". Nicollet Mall Art. August 2017. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  40. ^ "Rain Oculus". Americans for the Arts. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  41. ^ Casey, Cindy (April 7, 2014). "Rain Portal". Art and Architecture SF. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  42. ^ Kelly Jr., Harlan L. (September 24, 2018). "Letter to Tom DeCaigny, Director of Cultural Affairs, San Francisco Arts Commission" (PDF). Office of the General Manager, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  43. ^ "Rainbow Arbor". Americans for the Arts. 15 May 2019. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  44. ^ "Rift Zone by Ned Kahn". Exploratorium. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  45. ^ "Artists: Ned Kahn". Exploratorium. 22 March 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  46. ^ "Tornado by Ned Kahn: Assembly and Maintenance" (PDF). Exploratorium. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  47. ^ "Turbulent Orb". Exploratorium. 6 December 2017. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  48. ^ "Public Art ID PA93-01". City of Ventura. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  49. ^ "Disasters at the Pier". City of Ventura. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  50. ^ Bustillo, Miguel; Wilson, Tracy (December 14, 1995). "Historic Ventura Pier Takes Another Battering: Storm: Waves destroy 420 feet of landmark. Damage is estimated at $1.5 million. High seas and debris close beach". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 26 November 2019. Alternate URL, image of first section
  51. ^ Lederer, Carrie (July 20, 2009). "Approval of a proposal for public artwork for the Neiman Marcus Project". Arts Commission, City of Walnut Creek. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  52. ^ Robinson, Gaile (December 9, 2015). "Panther Island public artwork to be dedicated Thursday". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  53. ^ "Wind Silos". Americans for the Arts. 15 May 2019. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  54. ^ Schumacher, Michael; Schaeffer, Oliver; Vogt, Michael-Marcus (2010). MOVE: Architecture in Motion - Dynamic Components and Elements. Basel: Birkhäuser Verlag AG. pp. 170–171. ISBN 978-3-7643-9986-3. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
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