Kenneth Snelson | |
|---|---|
 Needle Tower II by Kenneth Snelson (1969) at the Kröller-Müller Museum in Netherlands | |
| Born | June 29, 1927 |
| Died | December 22, 2016 (aged 89) New York City, New York |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | University of Oregon Black Mountain College Fernand Léger in Paris. |
| Known for | Sculpture, Photography |
Kenneth Duane Snelson (June 29, 1927 – December 22, 2016) was an American contemporary sculptor and photographer. His sculptural works, exemplified by Needle Tower, are composed of flexible and rigid components arranged according to the idea of 'tensegrity'. Snelson preferred the descriptive term floating compression.
Snelson said his former professor Buckminster Fuller took credit for Snelson's discovery of the concept that Fuller named tensegrity.[1] Fuller gave the idea its name, combining 'tension' and 'structural integrity.' Kārlis Johansons had exhibited tensegrity sculptures several years before Snelson was even born. The height and strength of Snelson's sculptures, which are often delicate in appearance, depend on the tension between rigid pipes and flexible cables.
- ^ "FAQ". Kennethsnelson.net. Archived from the original on December 23, 2019. Retrieved April 20, 2021.