Public Radio for the Central Kenai Peninsula
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Support public radio — donate today!

'Kinetic' show moves Kenai

The Kenai Art Center's "Kinetic" show will be on view through the month of January.
Photo courtesy or Nora Ribbens
The Kenai Art Center's "Kinetic" show will be on view through the month of January.

In one corner of the Kenai Art Center’s front gallery is a mosaic of a pulsating eyeball. Across the room are a number of mobiles, metal works and more.

All in all, 18 pieces are part of the art center’s “kinetic” show, which spotlights art that moves.

“It’s one of our smaller exhibits, but it’s definitely the most interesting because the pieces are really unusual compared to what we’ve had in the past,” said Kenai Art Center executive director Charlotte Coots.

One of the pieces on view has been dubbed a “whirligig,” which Coots says is a fitting name. It’s a vibrant red box with a hand crank, designed to spin a cluster of origami cranes on top.

The Kenai Art Center's "Kinetic" show features 18 pieces with elements of movement.
Photo courtesy of Nora Ribbens
The Kenai Art Center's "Kinetic" show features 18 pieces with elements of movement.

Kenai’s Diane Peterson is one of the artists behind the piece.

“This is a small representation of what I like to do," Peterson said. "Create something that the audience has to engage with.”

Peterson crafted the hand cranked box alongside her dad. She says they recently lost a close family member to cancer and their collaboration helped them figure out how to move forward.

“When this show came up, I just thought this was a great opportunity to make something together," Peterson said. "Just a way to bond over art."

Kenai Peninsula artist Bryan Olds has two pieces in the exhibit. One is the pulsating mosaic eye, which he equipped with LED lights meant to evoke different emotions. The other is a clay ring with a light he says gives the illusion of movement.

That piece was inspired by a past piece of work he created, and is one of his favorites. He says he’s never seen anything else quite like it.

“When you make something that’s original, or at least seems to be original, I think that’s quite a good feeling that I was able to get it done,” Olds said.

Olds says his pieces are best viewed in the dark and urges visitors of the art center to ask the desk attendant to turn off the lights.

Olds’ and other works in the kinetic show will be on view at the Kenai Art Center through the month of January.

Hunter Morrison is a news reporter at KDLL
Related Content