Ralfonso Gschwend

Ralfonso "Ralf" Gschwend ( born April 29, 1959) is a Swiss kinetic sculptor.

Life and work

Ralfonso received his undergraduate education both in Europe ( Schule Schloss Salem, Abitur 1979) and in the United States (USC, Los Angeles, California, BS 1983). He continued his formal education at the Wharton School of Finance (MBA, 1985).

While working in the real estate field in San Francisco, shortly after receiving his MBA, he began a series of kinetic sculpture drawings, which later served as the basis for his large kinetic sculptures in public places.

He is a designer of environmentally interactive, kinetic, light and sound sculptures (sculptures that interact with the environment such as wind, water, etc.). Since 1999 he specializes in the design and execution of large to monumental kinetic sculptures for public places from his studios in West Palm Beach, Florida, USA and Geneva, Switzerland.

Sculpture designs range in size from 2 ft to 180ft. Sculptures have been exhibited or installed in Switzerland, Russia,PR release by the Russian Developer [http://www.rbi.ru/content/news/default.asp?shmode=14&ida=125] ] Styl Zhizni (LifeStyle) - Magazine Article in Russian about Ralfonso Solo Exhibition in St. Petersburg, Russia [http://www.webmasterforhire.us/ralf/Styl%20Zhizni%20(LifeStyle).jpg] ] Elle Magazine Russia - Magazine Article in Russian about Ralfonso Solo Exhibition in St. Petersburg, Russia - [http://www.webmasterforhire.us/ralf/Elle%20Magazine%20Russia.jpg] ] Cosmo Magazine Russia - Magazine Article in Russian about Ralfonso Solo Exhibition in St. Petersburg, Russia - [http://www.webmasterforhire.us/ralf/Cosmo%20Magazine%20Russia.jpg] ] Netherlands,Sprezzatura (Netherlands) Article in Dutch about Ralf Gschwend and KAO at the ART IN MOTION Biennale - [http://www.sprezzatura.org/front_projecten.php?id=28] ] China,Art that moves - [http://kaochina.org/Html/tjzp/20070117102938689.html] ] Official Contest of Landscape Sculpture Designs for Beijing 2008 Olympic Games International Tour Exhibition - [http://www.webmasterforhire.us/ralf/Ralfonso%20Olympiad.jpg] ] 6-25-06 China Stardaily Article with Ralfonso Olympiad Picture [http://www.webmasterforhire.us./ralf/6-25-06StardailyarticlewOlympiadpicinEngl.pdf] ] Ralfonso Olympic Committee Speech - Kinetic Art and to Olympic Union of All People - [http://www.webmasterforhire.us/ralf/6-25-06%20Stardaily%20article%20w%20Olympiad%20pic%20in%20Engl.pdf] ] China Sculpture Mag. Edition 3 2006 - [http://www.webmasterforhire.us/ralf/ChinaSculptureMagCvr3-2006.jpg] , [http://www.webmasterforhire.us/ralf/ChinaSculptureMag3-2006-Ralfonsopg32.jpg] , [http://www.webmasterforhire.us/ralf/ChinaSculptureMag3-2006Ralfonsopg33.jpg] ] Germany and the USA.Kinetic Art Exhibition MomentuM 2006 at Grounds for Sculpture - [http://www.webmasterforhire.us/ralf/MomentuM%20Kinetic%20Art%20Exhibition%20Invitation.pdf] ]

With his passion for Kinetic Art, as president from its inception, he co-founded the Kinetic Art Organization (KAO) www.kinetic-art.org in 2001 with a German and a US fellow Kinetic Artist. Now, with more than 1,000 members in over 60 Countries around the world, KAO has become the largest kinetic art organization in the world. KAO has co-organized Kinetic Art Exhibitions, such as the [http://www.vijversburg.nl/pages/qt_overzicht.htm ART IN MOTION] in The Netherlands,Sprezzatura (Netherlands) Article in Dutch about Ralf Gschwend and KAO at the ART IN MOTION Biennale - [http://www.sprezzatura.org/front_projecten.php?id=28] ] St. Petersburg, Russia,PR release by the Russian Developer [http://www.rbi.ru/content/news/default.asp?shmode=14&ida=125] ] Styl Zhizni (LifeStyle) - Magazine Article in Russian about Ralfonso Solo Exhibition in St. Petersburg, Russia [http://www.webmasterforhire.us/ralf/Styl%20Zhizni%20(LifeStyle).jpg] ] Elle Magazine Russia - Magazine Article in Russian about Ralfonso Solo Exhibition in St. Petersburg, Russia - [http://www.webmasterforhire.us/ralf/Elle%20Magazine%20Russia.jpg] ] Cosmo Magazine Russia - Magazine Article in Russian about Ralfonso Solo Exhibition in St. Petersburg, Russia - [http://www.webmasterforhire.us/ralf/Cosmo%20Magazine%20Russia.jpg] ] and the MomentuM exhibition at Grounds for Sculpture in New Jersey, USA.Kinetic Art Exhibition MomentuM 2006 at Grounds for Sculpture - [http://www.webmasterforhire.us/ralf/MomentuM%20Kinetic%20Art%20Exhibition%20Invitation.pdf] ]

In 2006 he established the first kinetic art website in China called [http://www.kaochina.org KAO CHINA] , dedicated to bringing kinetic art to China. Currently he is helping to establish the first Kinetic Art curriculum at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing.

As an award winner of the Beijing City Sculpture Competition 2007 and a finalist for the "Contest of Landscape Sculpture Designs for Beijing 2008 Olympic Games",Official Contest of Landscape Sculpture Designs for Beijing 2008 Olympic Games International Tour Exhibition - [http://www.webmasterforhire.us/ralf/Ralfonso%20Olympiad.jpg] ] 6-25-06 China Stardaily Article with Ralfonso Olympiad Picture [http://www.webmasterforhire.us./ralf/6-25-06StardailyarticlewOlympiadpicinEngl.pdf] ] Ralfonso was invited to speak at "Olympic Culture and Public Art Conference".Art that moves - [http://kaochina.org/Html/tjzp/20070117102938689.html] ] His speech and Dissertation was entitled "Kinetic Art and to Olympic Union of All People".Ralfonso Olympic Committee Speech - Kinetic Art and to Olympic Union of All People - [http://www.webmasterforhire.us/ralf/6-25-06%20Stardaily%20article%20w%20Olympiad%20pic%20in%20Engl.pdf] ]

Notes and References

External links

* [http://www.vijversburg.nl/pages/qt_overzicht.htm ART IN MOTION] , Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
* [http://www.ralfonso.com Ralfonso.com] – Kinetic Art for Public Places
* [http://www.kinetic-art.org Kinetic Art Organization (KAO)] - KAO - Largest International Kinetic Art Organisation
* [http://www.kaochina.org KAO CHINA] – The first kinetic art website in China
* [http://kaochina.org/Html/NEWSNEWS/20070113214835700.html “Olympic Culture and Public Art Conference” ]