Weighing almost seven tons and standing 30 feet high, Chaos I is
the centerpiece of The Commons, a downtown civic mall that is attached to a
small shopping complex. At first glance it appears that the “in
motion” sculpture is a whirring, clanging, clanking hunk of junk! A closer
look, however, reveals the sense of humor and imagination of its creator, Swiss
artist, Jean Tinguely.
Chaos I is an artistic and engineering wonder, and kids and adults alike enjoy watching its different movements. Giant lollipop shapes twirl, gears move, and big, metal balls slowly climb up a shaft, drop down and roll through an airy, wire tunnel. There’s so much going on at one time, that it’s impossible to catch it all. A moat, of sorts, surrounds the sculpture, and people enjoy tossing pennies into the water and making wishes. Now and then, the money is collected and given to charity.
The Commons features a stage and a large, open area that is used for a variety of community activities. The architect, Cesar Pelli, recommended that a major work of art be placed in the space, and Mr. Tinguely was chosen to create a sculpture. Mr. and Mrs. J. Irwin Miller and his sister, Mrs. Robert Tangeman, gave the public area and sculpture to the city in 1974.
The artist liked to create sculptures from salvaged metal, and most of the materials for Chaos I were purchased at the Kroot Corporation in Columbus. The company, which has been in business for more than 100 years, is a scrap metal recycling firm. Much of Chaos I was created in the old powerhouse building, now the Senior Citizens Center. When it was time to put it together, the sculpture parts were moved to The Commons.
Several local craftsmen worked under Mr. Tinguely’s direction to build the sculpture. One day someone who was assembling pieces at the top removed a boot in order to rest his foot. He placed the boot on the sculpture, and when Mr. Tinguely saw it there, he asked him to leave it as part of the art! A year or so later the boot was removed, but it was replaced when the public noticed it missing and demanded its return. The artist, who had a great sense of humor, would be pleased.
Jean Tinguely’s work was introduced in America in 1960 at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. “Homage to New York” was a kinetic or “in motion” sculpture that was supposed to destroy itself. Something went wrong, however, and a few New York City firemen helped finish it off!
In speaking about his work, the artist said, “Life is movement. Everything transforms itself, everything modifies itself ceaselessly, and to try to stop it . . . seems to me a mockery of the intensity of life." Mr. Tinguely was very pleased with Chaos I, and it was one of his favorite sculptures. It is well loved by Columbus children, too.
Learn more about our buildings and their architects at the Columbus Visitors Center, and visit the Jean Tinguely Museum to see more of the famous sculptor’s work.
Please Note: After a big New Year's Eve party, The Commons was closed to the public on January 1, 2008. A new building, which will include the Chaos I sculpture, will take its place in two or three years.
Click on any of the small images below for a larger version.
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© 2001 Marilyn J. Brackney, All Rights Reserved
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