Four Lines Oblique Gyratory Square by George Rickey (United States, b. 1907 )

George Rickey (1907–2002)
Four Lines Oblique Gyratory-Square, 1973
Stainless steel
Gift of Marion Smooke in memory of Nathan Smooke
On long-term loan from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Leadership support for the South Coast Botanic Garden Sculpture Collection was provided by Marilyn Long and Long Family Foundation

For Information Seekers

George Rickey was born in 1907 in South Bend, Ind. His father was an engineer and his grandfather a clockmaster, both of whom encouraged his early interest in engineering and tinkering. Rickey once recalled being a small child and being fascinated by the window latches in his home which were traditional crank windows found in many historic South Bend homes. Rickey studied history in Oxford and art in Paris before returning to the United States in 1930. Before becoming known for his kinetic sculptures, he was a painter. He also served in the Army Air Corps during World War II, during which he worked in a machine shop to improve aircraft weaponry. It is believed this is where he discovered a love of solving mechanical problems and developed an understanding of the effects of wind and gravity. Rickey died in 2002 but the George Rickey Foundation lives on. You can learn more about it at georgerickey.org.

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