Divided Square Oblique II 1981

George Rickey made "Divided Square Oblique II," out of stainless steel, sometime in the last century. It's a kinetic sculpture, which means that the piece is all about movement. The reflective quality of the steel gives it a ghostly, ethereal presence, almost like it’s not quite there, or always changing depending on the light. Look at how the blades slice through the air. It’s so minimal and straightforward, almost like a drawing in space. This work reminds me of some of Alexander Calder's mobiles. But where Calder often used biomorphic shapes and bright colors, Rickey went for geometry and the cool precision of metal. There’s something deeply satisfying about the simple mechanics and the elegance of the piece. It’s like watching a slow, deliberate dance. Rickey’s work is about more than just engineering, it’s about perception, time, and the beauty of simple forms in motion.