John Rosenbaum

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John Rosenbaum (September 3, 1934 in Brigantine, New Jersey[1] – September 30, 2003 in Alameda, California) was an American physicist, educator[2] and kinetic sculptor,[3] associated with the San Francisco Renaissance[4][5] and the counterculture of the 1960s.

Biography[edit]

John Rosenbaum graduated from Cornell University[6][7] with a degree in engineering physics in 1957.[8] He moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in the early 1960s. He contributed to the Harvard Project Physics textbooks.[9] He was associated with the free school movement in the 1960s, and was a colleague of the educator Herbert Kohl,[10] who described Rosenbaum's educational work in his book The Open Classroom[11][12] and Math, Writing & Games in the Open Classroom.[13] He designed the Xylopipes xylophone children's toy for Creative Playthings.[14][15] Rosenbaum created "Light Boxes",[16][17] kinetic sculptures using polarized light and layers of cellophane laminated between pairs of rotating glass disks, producing changing patterns and colors similar to, and on a smaller scale than, light shows projected at rock concerts in the 1960s. He was exhibited by the Landau Gallery[18] in Beverly Hills, among others.[19][20][21][22] He was a colleague of silk screen artist Arthur Okamura. He designed the original logo for Herbie Mann's Embryo Records. He died in Alameda, California, of complications from Parkinson's disease in 2003.[23]

Xylopipes, designed by Rosenbaum for Creative Playthings, ca 1960s

Exhibitions[edit]

See also[edit]

Tension in plastic film, showing colors as used in Rosenbaum's kinetic sculptures

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Cornell Elects Rosenbaum", New York Times, Dec 4, 1954 "John J Rosenbaum Jr of Brigantine N J today was elected captain of Cornell's 1955 varsity crosscountry team"
  2. ^ "National Endowment for the Arts Annual Report 1982" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 16, 2011. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  3. ^ "August 8, 1997 "Parkinson's fails to squelch artistry of a former scientist", Ronnie Caplane, Jewish Bulletin, August 8, 1997". J. Jweekly.com. August 8, 1997. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  4. ^ Art in the San Francisco Bay Area, 1945–1980, Thomas Albright. University Presses of California, Columbia and Princeton, 1985, ISBN 0-520-05518-7 (p. 172)
  5. ^ Albright, Thomas (January 1985). Art in the San Francisco Bay Area, 1945-1980: An Illustrated History. University of California Press. ISBN 9780520051935.
  6. ^ "Cornell University Men's Cross Country History webpage". Cornellbigred.com. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  7. ^ [ Displaying Abstract ] (December 4, 1954). ""Cornell Elects Rosenbaum", New York Times, Dec. 4, 1954". Select.nytimes.com. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  8. ^ http://hepstrack.com/championships/heps-cross-country/mens-results/the-1950s/1953-2/
  9. ^ Project Physics: Text Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1975 edition, ISBN 0-03-089634-7, appendix p. A23
  10. ^ ""Black Panther Newspaper", "Center for Open Learning and Teaching" workshop notice, ca. 1973". Negroartist.com. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  11. ^ The Open Classroom: A Practical Guide to a New Way of Teaching, Herbert R. Kohl. New York Review/Vintage Books, 1969, pp. 64–65
  12. ^ "The Open Classroom online text, p. 24" (PDF). Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  13. ^ Math, Writing and Games in the Open Classroom, Herbert R. Kohl. New York Review/Vintage Books, 1974, ISBN 0-394-70995-0, pp. 134–136
  14. ^ "Parkinsons fails to squelch artistry of a former scientist". J. August 8, 1997.
  15. ^ "John Jacob Rosenbaum Jr. Obituary (2003) Ithaca Journal". Legacy.com.
  16. ^ ""Untitled Kinetic Construction", 1968. Yale University Art Gallery". Ecatalogue.art.yale.edu. Archived from the original on March 6, 2012. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  17. ^ "Untitled Kinetic Construction | Yale University Art Gallery".
  18. ^ a b "John Rosenbaum: kinetic constructions with polarized light: exhibition May 26 – June 21, 1969, Felix Landau Gallery". Worldcat.org. June 21, 1969. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  19. ^ Andrews, Oliver. Electric Art, exhibition catalog. Los Angeles: UCLA Art Department, 1969
  20. ^ Ollman, Leah (May 23, 1988). "ART REVIEW : Walbridge Exhibit's Power Weakened by Indulgence". Los Angeles Times.
  21. ^ "The New Yorker, Jan. 6, 1968, digital edition". Archives.newyorker.com. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  22. ^ "John Rosenbaum: Constructions with polarized light by a physicist-artist;", The New Yorker Jan. 6, 1968, p. 10, E. 84th St. gallery listing
  23. ^ "Cornell Alumni Magazine" July/Aug. 2004 V. 107 # 1, Alumni Deaths Archived May 16, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
  24. ^ Thompson, Peter, ed.; "John Rosenbaum and Arthur Okamura", Catalogue, The Civic Arts Gallery, May 21 – June 28, 1975
  25. ^ "Arthur Okamura Exhibitions/Bibliography, Braunstein/Quay Gallery website". Bquayartgallery.com. Archived from the original on February 24, 2012. Retrieved January 17, 2012.

External links[edit]