Frank Joseph Malina 1912–1981

The Rocket, 1968

sculpture, wood, metal, height 290 cm, sign. FJM68

Frank J. Malina has combined his life's work as a scientist, rocket engineer, inventor and a distinguished artist who belonged among the pioneers of kineticism, a new postwar artistic trend in Europe and America. After the war, Malina became interested in art and became involved in experimental poetry and drawings. In 1951 he founded The Kinetic Art Organization, which dealt with experimental and interactive art projects. His work combined science and technology with art and was able to uniquely to use his knowledge of physics and science principles and technological processes to creating sculptural lumino-kinetic objects and installations that represented entirely new new possibilities for artistic creation. He used in them optical effects, mirrors, electric light, motors, sound, and many other innovative materials that influenced generations to come artists and their approach to art making. F. J. Malina's work has been exhibited throughout around the world and are part of major international collections.