The Rolling Ball Web
An Online Compendium of
Rolling Ball Sculptures, Clocks, Etc.
By David M. MacMillan et. al.
George Rhoads has a website at http://www.georgerhoads.com/
Photographs are available on this site of the following Rhoads sculptures:
Photographs are available on other websites of the following Rhoads sculptures:
[NOT FINISHED]
George Rhoads' name is mis-spelled as "Rhodes" on the identifying material accompanying at least one of his sculptures (Global Circus).
1983. Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, 42nd Street Bus Terminal, New York, NY. 8'x8'x8'. Cited in Winter (Shopping Centers Today) and Kostelanetz (NY Times Magazine). Illustrated in Kostelanetz (Smithsonian). Listed in the Rhoads catalog (1996).
Rollande Krandall has taken a set of photographs of this sculpture.
(11 images, approx. 200k)
1987. Museum of Science, Boston, MA. 27'x8'x8' Cited in Winter (Sky Magazine) and Kostelanetz (NY Times Magazine). Discussed and illustrated in Winter (Christian Science Monitor). Illustrated by photograph and by a a shchematic diagram by Rhoads in Kostelanetz (Smithsonian). Listed in the Rhoads catalog (1996).
1986. West Edmonton Mall, Edmonton, Alberta. Triple Five Corporation. 27'x10'x10'. Cited in Winter ( Shopping Centers Today), Kostelanetz (Smithsonian), and Kostelanetz (NY Times Magazine). Listed in the Rhoads catalog (1996).
1988. Forest Fair Mall, Cincinatti, OH. L.J. Hooker Developments (called "Hooker USA" by Winter). 30'x15'x8'. Cited in Winter (Shopping Centers Today). Illustrated in Kostelanetz (Smithsonian) Listed in the Rhoads catalog (1996).
1986. Private collection (David Bermant?). Santa Barbara, CA. 40"x8"x50". Kostelanetz (Smithsonian) cites this as being in the bedroom of David Bermant. Listed in the Rhoads catalog (1996).
[cited in 1987]. Kostelanetz (NY Times Magazine) cites this as a ball run work commissioned by David Bermant which plays "Boola Boola" on xylophone keys. Also cited in Kostelanetz (Smithsonian) Not listed in the Rhoads catalog (1996).
1988. Strawberry Square, Harrisburg, PA. Harristown Development Corp. 46'x13'x9'. Cited in Winter (Shopping Centers Today). I had been assuming that Strawberry Square was a mall; Winter (Christian Science Monitor) says that it is an urban renewal project. Listed in the Rhoads catalog (1996).
[Exhibited in 1992] Cited in Melrod as hand driven, forest green with a red wok, and centered around three brass chimes. Not listed in the Rhoads catalog (1996).
1974. Long Ridge Mall, Rochester, NY (National Shopping Centers, Harrison, NY). 12'x8'x8'. Cited in Winter (Shopping Centers Today) as being the oldest mall sculpture. Winter puts the date at 1971, which contradicts the Rhoads catalog date of 1974. Winter cites David Bermant of National Shopping Centers as an early patron of Rhoads' work. Also cited in Kostelanetz (Smithsonian) and Kostelanetz (NY Times Magazine).
1990. Discovery Science Center, Santa Ana, CA. (Discovery Science Center, 2500 North Main Street Santa Ana, CA 92705 714-542-CUBE www.go2dsc.org/home.htm) Triangular, approx. 4 feet to a size by 6 feet tall. Rick McKittrick has provided photographs of this sculpture, together with two "do it yourself" rolling ball sculptures or activities at the same location.
1986. Logan Airport, Terminal C, Boston, MA. Massport. 6'6"x7'x7'. Cited in Winter (Shopping Centers Today), Winter (Christian Science Monitor), Winter (Sky Magazine), Kostelanetz (Smithsonian), and Kostelanetz (NY Times Magazine) Listed in the Rhoads catalog (1996).
Mark Olejarczyk has provided photographs of this sculpture.
(4 photos of approx. 96.0k)
1987. This is probably the piece referred to by the artist as Whatchamaballit.
1985. Northland Shopping Center, Melbourne, Australia. 7'x10'x4'. Cited in Kostelanetz (Smithsonian) as made in 1985 and refurbished for World Expo '88 in Brisbane, Australia. Listed in the Rhoads catalog (1996). Rhoads' catalog lists it as being in the Chadstone Shopping Center, Chadstone, Victoria, Australia. Peter Bacon and Eugenia Weedon have verified, however, that it is presently located in the Northland Shopping Center on the outskirts of Melbourne, Australia.
Eugenia Weedon and Peter Bacon have made available photographs of this sculpture, and have written a review of it.
(3 photos, approx. 157k)
Goldberg Variations (1986; "Goldberg Variations #1")
1986. Logan Airport, Terminal C, Boston, MA. Massport. 6'6"x7'x7'. Cited in Winter (Shopping Centers Today), Winter (Christian Science Monitor), Winter (Sky Magazine), Kostelanetz (Smithsonian), and Kostelanetz (NY Times Magazine). Listed in the Rhoads catalog (1996).
Mark Olejarczyk has provided photographs of this sculpture.
(7 photos of approx. 140.2k)
Good Time Clock [Magic Clock - Cermak?]
1980. No sculpture entitled Good Time Clock is listed in Rhoads' catalog (1996). However, a sculpture titled "Magic Clock - Cermak" (1981) is listed. Perhaps they are the same? According to the catalog, "Magic Clock - Cermak" is 6' x 4' x 2', owned by National Shopping Centers, and located in Cermak Plaza, Chicago, IL.
Under the name Good Time Clock, it is illustrated in Divozenka's "Sculpture in the Cermak Plaza Shopping Center" page [Note: this site appears to be offline - 1999-05-04].
1982. Kostelanetz (NY Times Magazine) cites a proposed relocation of this piece to the PATH station at the World Trade Center, NYC. Kostelanetz (Smithsonian) refers to a "Magic Clock II" that "stood for a couple of years" in the main terminal of LaGuardia Airport, NY; it is not clear to me if this refers to Magic Clock II, Good Time Clock II, or Good Time Clock IV. Not listed in the Rhoads catalog (1996).
1984. David Ide (dide@dgsys.com) has graciously provided photographs that he took in 1991 of this sculpture as it stands at the Santa Barbara, California, airport. One of these photographs includes the interpretive text presented with the sculpture. This text is reproduced along with the photographs.
(6 photos, approx. 636k)
The interpretive text accompanying this sculpture as it appears at the Santa Barbara Airport indicates that it was on display at New York's LaGuardia Airport for two years. This source also indicates that this sculpture was the "lead sculpture" at an exhibit held at the [presumably University of California at Santa Barbara] University Art Musuem in the summer and fall of 1990.
Cited as in LaGuardia Airport, NY, main terminal by Kostelanetz (NY Times Magazine). Cited in Winter (Sky Magazine). See also Good Time Clock II and Magic Clock II. See also Magic Clock (Slim Clock). Not listed in the Rhoads catalog (1996).
1983. Allendale Shopping Center, Pittsfield, MA. National Shopping Centers, Inc. 12'x8'x1' Cited in Winter (Shopping Centers Today) as placed against a glass elevator, allowing viewers to see it while themselves in motion. Cited and illustrated in Kostelanetz (Smithsonian). Noted as having ten organ pipes.
1989. Ontario Science Center, Toronto, Ontario. 14'x14' diameter. Cited in Winter (Shopping Centers Today) and Winter (Chritian Science Monitor). Listed in the Rhoads catalog (1996).
Raul de Sorôa has provided a photograph of this sculpture. (1 image; approx 25.9k)
The Imaginative Chip (aka Science on a Roll)
1990. The Tech Museum of Innovation, San Jose, CA. (It was originally named Science on a Roll by Rhoads, but is known by TheTech Museum of Innovation as The Imaginative Chip.) 16'x12'x4'. See also Wallpiece XXXI
NOT YET ONLINE
Rollande Krandall has taken a set of photographs of this sculpture.
(x images, approx. xk)
The Tech Museum of Innovation sells a postcard with a picture of this work. They also have a very brief one-page handout. The original cost is given in Donnelly as about US$175,000 including installation.
Cited in: Donnelly. Listed in the Rhoads catalog (1996).
1991. St. Louis Children's Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri. 6' 6" x 4' x 4'. Mark Olejarczyk has provided photographs of this sculpture.
(9 photos of approx. 199.0k on a page of 10 photos, approx. 223.2k total)
[Exhibited in 1992] Cited in Melrod as 3' tall, hand driven, and containing three blue metal steps as well as a circular saw blade acting as a bell. Not listed in the Rhoads catalog (1996).
See Good Time Clock
Kostelanetz (Smithsonian) refers to a sculpture he calls "Magic Clock II" which stood "for a couple of years" in the main terminal of LaGuardia Airport, NYC. There is no sculpture by this name listed in the Rhoads catalog (1996). However, there are several "Magic Clock" sculptures listed. Kostelanetz (NY Times Magazine) refers to a sculpture called Good Time Clock IV as being in LaGuardia, and a sculpture called Good Time Clock II as proposed for relocation to the PATH station at the World Trade Center. It's not clear to me which is which.
Good Time Clock IV is (1991) in the Santa Barbara, California, airport.
1985. Santa Barbara Airport, Santa Barbara, CA. David Bermant Foundation. 6'x4'x2'. Listed in the Rhoads catalog (1996) as being at this location.
1988. Micronesian Mall, Tamuning, Guam. Goodwind Development Corp. 26'x10'x10'. Cited in Winter (Shopping Centers Today) and Winter (Christian Science Monitor). Listed in the Rhoads catalog (1996).
1986. Salmon Run Mall, Watertown, NY. Pyramid Companies. 26'x8'x8'. Cited in Kostelanetz (Smithsonian) and Kostelanetz (NY Times Magazine). Listed in the Rhoads catalog (1996).
Travel note: Daryl Bender gives the address of the mall as:
Salmon Run Mall - Watertown
Arsenal St. & I-81
Watertown, NY 13601
(315) 788-9210
He notes that this is "right at the exit of 81 (i.e. NW quadrant of intersection of Arsenal street & I-81, right against I-81)"
[Exhibited in 1992] Cited in Melrod as being creamy off-white and as having four separate tracks. Cited in Spring as 1991, 60"x42"x42". Not listed in the Rhoads catalog (1996).
[cited in 1988.] "A Manhatten penthouse porch." Kostelanetz (Smithsonian) describes this non-ball mobile as having a suspended "curcular pattern of cones," and as tilting on a universal joint as the wind hits a plate at its top. Not listed in the Rhoads catalog (1996).
Science on a Roll
See The Imaginative Chip.
1980. Collection of the artist. 7'x12"x12". Briefly described by Kostelanetz (Smithsonian) as an aleatory music piece in which a ball suspended from a pole which moves in complex ways strikes several chimes. This piece appeared in Rhoads' Queens Museum one-man show, Queens, NY, 1988.
1985. 32'x10'x10'. This sculpture is currently at Science World British Columbia in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Rhoads' 1996 catalog referes to it as the Tower of Babel, but Science World refers to it as the Tower of Bauble. Science World is online at: http://198.162.3.2:457/HOME.HTML.Andy Fielding has taken a series of photographs of this sculpture, and written an account of it.
(8 images, approx. 210.9k)An independent site, Raymond Kam's Vancouver VR includes a QuickTime movie which shows the dome of Science World, but not the Rhoads sculpture itself. The page with this movie claims to play in the background sounds recorded from this sculpture, but I have not been able to get these sounds to play. Kam's site gives the text of the sculpture's current placard as:
The Tower of Bauble
The giant kinetic sculpture was created by New York artist George Rhoads. The Tower of Bauble was originally built in 1985 for the North Hills Shopping Centre in Kamloops. It was generously donated to SCIENCE WORLD in 1995 by Robert H. Lee, Jack Poole, and Robert J. MacDonald.
The artist worked in conjunction with fabricators to build The Tower of Bauble. Rhoads describes his work as audio-kinetic sculptures that generate sounds as they move. Look--and listen!--for the trampoline, loop the loop, wok, wooden drums, helixes, cymbals, xylophone, spirals, fireball, and gongs. Stay awhile and watch the progress of the bowling ball.
Rhoads' sculptures can also be found in the Boston Museum of Science, as well as the Airport, the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City, and the West Edmonton Mall. Some are more complicated than others, but they all share certain features. Look for the ball distributor that feeds the initial supply of balls onto several tracks. The Tower of Bauble is actually divided into two sections (top and bottom), each with its own balls and paths. With a number of different paths from top to bottom and several balls moving all at once, the sculpture is always changing. When the balls reach the bottom, a motorized chain hoist carries these back to the top. This is the only point in which external power is used; all the other action relies on gravity.
The Tower of Bauble is just one of many fascinating SCIENCE WORLD displays exploring scientific phenomena. Come inside and discover our world of hands-on exhibits, dazzling demonstrations and breathtaking OMNIMAX® features.
According to Rhoads' 1996 catalog, this sculpture was originally called the Tower of Babel and was originally located at the North Hills Shopping Center, Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada (owned by the North Hanover Corporation). Cited in: Kostelanetz (NY Times Magazine) and Kostelanetz (Smithsonian).
[Exhibited in 1992] Cited in Melrod as being motorized and as having sky-blue and lemon-yellow tracks. Not listed in the Rhoads catalog (in 1996).
[unknown title] (Children's Museum of IndianapolisTM)
1996 Indianapolis, Indiana. Children's Museum of Indianapolis.TM
Vernon MacMillan has provided photographs of this piece.
(2 images, approx. 81.5k)
[unknown title] (New Haven)
Kostelanetz cites an unnamed work of Rhoads in New Haven.
[unknown title] (West Edmonton Mall)
1986 West Edmonton Mall, Edmonton, Alberta. Triple Five Corporation. 9'x10'x10'. Cited in Kostelanetz (Smithsonian). See also Ball City.
1992. Cited in Melrod as being motorized, being massive and lavender, and having a "ski-slope dive." Listed in the Rhoads catalog (1996) as 5'6"x3'x3' and as being in a private collection in Ithaca, NY.
1988. Private Collection (listed as such in the Rhoads catalog, 1996). 3'x5'x6". Cited in the interpretive text accompanying Good Time Clock IV at the Santa Barbara Airport as being on display (circa 1990) at the Franklin Community Center, Santa Barbara, California.
1990. San Jose International Airport (owned by The Tech Museum of Innovation), San Jose, CA. 3'x5'x6"
NOT YET ONLINE
Rollande Krandall has taken a set of photographs of this sculpture.
(x images, approx. xk)
1991. Magic House, St. Louis, Missouri. 3' x 5' x 6". Mark Olejarczyk has provided a photograph of this sculpture.
(1 photo of approx. 24.2k on a page of 10 photos, approx. 223.2k total)
1987. Champlain Center, Plattsburgh, NY The Pyramid Companies. 26"x8'x8'. Cited in Winter (Shopping Centers Today), Kostelanetz (Smithsonian), and Kostelanetz (NY Times Magazine). Listed in the Rhoads catalog (1996).
This is probably the same piece that is documented online at the Champlain Center's website at: http://www.online-tech.com:80/champlain/agiz.htm. In this online writeup, the piece is known as "The Gizmo," a name selected in contest by mall patrons at the time of its installation.
Travel Note: Daryl Bender notes that Champlain Center is at Route 3 and Interstate 87, and that "Champlain Center is actually two seperate buildings (not visible from each other) and the sculpture is in the larger one on the North side of 3. [this is at the] NW quadrant of intersection of 3 & I-87 along I-87" Champlain Center Phone: (518) 561-8660
[date?] Cermak Plaza Shopping Center, Berwyn, IL. National Shopping Centers Management Corporation (David Bermant). [dimensions unknown] This piece is a ground-based wind actuated mobile consisting of wind-driven cones rotating around several axes. It is a companion piece to Windamajig. It is illustrated (JPEG image and QuickTime movie) in Divozenka's "Sculpture in the Cermak Plaza Shopping Center" page. [Note: this site appears to be offline - 1999-05-04]
[unknown title] (hula pole)
Kostelanetz (Smithsonian) a "hula pole" from a mall in Chicago that was at the time back for repairs.
Lunaticks [Lunatics?]
1988? 4'x4'x2". Winters (Christian Science Monitor) notes this as a construction containing over 100 "clock motors" rotating at varying speeds to create a two-dimensional collage. Under the name Lunatics, it is illustrated in Divozenka's "Sculpture in the Cermak Plaza Shopping Center" page. [Note: this site appears to be offline - 1999-05-04] Not in the Rhoads catalog (1996).
[unknown title] (a swing)
Kostelanetz (Smithsonian) cites a swing outside Bob McGuire's house which incorporates two pendulums extending up above the swing.
[cited in 1988] This piece is a ground-based wind actuated mobile consisting of wind-driven cones rotating around several axes. Cited in Kostelanetz (Smithsonian). It appears on the Rock Stream Studios nine-minute Rhoads video. It is illustrated in Divozenka's "Sculpture in the Cermak Plaza Shopping Center" page. [Note: this site appears to be offline - 1999-05-04] Not listed in the Rhoads catalog (1996).
George Rhoads' sculptures are manufactured by Bob McGuire and
Rock Stream Studios
233 Cherry Street
Ithaca, NY 14850
Bob McGuire indicated in 1996 that for US$50 he could make available an information package which includes a catalog, some color photocopies, copies of press clippings, and a nine minute video. He would prefer that you contact him by mail for this.
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