Born 1927 in Pendleton, Oregon
Kenneth Snelson creates abstract sculptures that are influenced by the artist’s interest in the underlying structure of the universe, and the intersection of mathematical and artistic principles. Constructed with stainless steel rods and tension wires, Snelson’s sculptures are engineered to appear light and effortless despite their strength in design.
Since the 1960s, Snelson has been employing the technical forces of compression and tension to create structures that are composed of both flexible and rigid components. Stainless steel rods and tension wires are skillfully composed in a manner that allows them to support and strengthen one another due to the structural principle Snelson calls ‘floating compression.’ Expertly balanced by the artist, each and every element of the sculpture is necessary for the structure to retain its integrity.
Though his sculptures are often associated with the Minimalist work created by his contemporaries such as Sol LeWitt and Carl Andre, Snelson differs from these artists in that he does not reject subjective interpretation of his work. Rather, the artist embraces influences and interpretations that hinge on the inherent beauty of the form and meditate on such overarching themes as mathematics, science, and the structure of the cosmos.