1990: Gyrator – by Stephen Luecking

1990: Gyrator – by Stephen Luecking

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Gyrator – by Stephen Luecking

1990

The sculpture’s concrete base features noon and seasonal markers
that measure the daily rotation of earth and the annual orbit of the sun.

Commission from Art Program of the State of Illinois

Location: Giant City State Park, Makanda, Illinois.

“Gyrator” takes the form of a synthesis between giant top and a gyroscope. Alignments built into the concrete pad record the gyrations of the heavens as created by the circadian and annual motion of the earth. The sun marks noon each day as a disk of light falls between two parallel lines cut into the concrete. The same disk of light rings bronze plaques embedded in the concrete at the start of each season.