Works

Flock

I am happy to announce the commission of Flock for installation in Napa Valley. Pictured above is an early motion study as I worked out the complex geometry of the sculpture over the past two years. I have tried to run a rendering of the final design with all the birds, but my very strong [...]

the Universe Revolves Around YOU

This is a proposed work for Burning Man 2012. A massive human powered merry go round of stone and steel. Estimated moving weight at 80,000lbs. Individual rockspinners drive from the motion of the ring, but use a slip connection to allow complex play. Center stone on swivel swivel bearing. Flywheel to retain rotational inertia and [...]

Stonejammer

First foray into wind powered sculpture, the sail and stone swing a full 360 degrees in the wind. Also first to utilize etched galvanized steel and stainless for corrosion control. About 27 feet tall, sail traces a 50 foot diameter.

Rockspinner7 (Happyland)

After building Rockspinner 5, the über-competent and enterprising staff at Technorama sold a Rockspinner to an amusement park in Switzerland. Selecting another stone from the same quarry in the Italian part of Switzerland, we built a very nice work. This is the only photo I have of the completed work. If you vist the place, [...]

Rockspinner 6

Rockspinner by Zachary Coffin | Photo: Joey Ivansco

Rockspinner4

This is the first work to utilize a motor and a slip bearing. This made the work spin very slowly, but still allows you to play with it. This approach has been abandoned in favor of the surprise that comes from discovering that such a huge thing actually moves.

Pendulum

Built as a private commission, this work is an exploration of a compound pendulum. It stays in motion for a remarkable period of time once you start it moving.

Prayer Wheel

Prayer Wheel is an early work exploring the buildup of momentum in a radial system (radial inertia in the colloquial and not the physics sense). It is a work better felt than seen. It allows you to play with two rocks, each weighing about 400 lbs, that spin around a center shaft with very little [...]

Whimcycles

These small works are studies in small scale kinetics, abstract constructions in stone and inquiry into the human interface.

Vector

Works in the Vector series mount to the wall and create an interactive visual space. They are studies in geometric form, completely silent, and spin for a long time.

Lithium

The Lithium Series are a a set of small works that are part of my Elements theme.

Finnibar

Built with steel pipes salvaged from another sculpture project at Socrates Sculpture Park, Finnibar is the first work incorporating a large chunk of stone as a counterweight. With a name and concept loosely pulled from a Celtic myth involving the “largest bull of the land” and all kinds of bloodshed, it is the kinetic abstraction of a [...]

Antelumpen

Work on this piece began in NYC during a stint at Socrates Sculpture Park. The uncompleted work was then shipped and stored in Atlanta. A workspace was offered at Wade Sand and Gravel, and Antelumpen was completed along with Bouncing Bench at the Birmingham Museum of Art for solo show Industrial Jungle. With support from Dr. Sam [...]

Allegrow

Allegrow was installed in NYC.

Colossus

A typical Burning Man dust storm. This is the view at least a few hours out of every day if there is any wind at all.

Colossus was built for Burning Man in 2005. It stands nearly 70 feet tall. The three rocks, “head” and spires all spin by way of pull ropes. We recently installed it at Bay Area Maker Faire. Timelapse of the install at Maker Faire.

Horn Section

Commissioned by the City of Atlanta Bureau of Cultural Affairs, The Horn Section was installed at the end of 2009 in Cleopas Johnson Park in Atlanta. The park is named after an influential marching band teacher at Morris Brown College.

Rockspinner5 (Technorama)

This Rockspinner was commissioned for the outside play area of one of the best science museums in the world, Technorama, in Winterthur, Switzerland. The fantastic shop staff improved on the bearing design and above and beyond in fabrication, living up the the Swiss reputation. The stone came from the Italian part of Switzerland, near the [...]

Roberts Rock (Rockspinner3)

This work was commissioned by a family who lost one of theirs in a tragedy. It is placed in a nice park and ball field in Northville, Michigan.

Hydrogen

Hydrogen was commissioned for the Lindbergh City Center, a mixed-use development on the north side of Atlanta. Installed in 2004, the off-center ring balances a large stainless steel sail and a slab of granite. When the wind is right, the sail will make full circles.

Temple of Gravity

The Temple of Gravity was installed at Burning Man 2003. The work weighs maybe 180,000 lbs total. Yes, those are real slabs of stone. And, yes you can stand underneath 17,000 lbs swinging from two apparently insubstantial chains. Here are some videos of the work at night. Sorry for the randomness and playa on the [...]

Rockspinner (Burning Man 2001)

Though technically the second Rockspinner, this one gets the title. Weighing somewhere in the 9 to 10 ton range, this stone is much larger than anything previously handled. To build it, we first built a large lifting rig and shipped it out to the desert, then brought in the rock, hung it and mounted it [...]

Echo (Rockspinner 1)

Spring

This fountain, Spring, was commissioned by Dr. Sam Barker and installed at the Altamont School in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1999. Built from an extremely hard chunk of granite from Elberton, Georgia, this was a first experiment in an interactive fountain.

Assagai

Assagai was started shortly after leaving NYC and moving to SF. Looking for a studio, Zach chanced upon a drilling and foundation construction company at the Hunters Point Navy Yard with a pile of steel and a maverick owner apparently amused by the artist who allowed him the use of the construction yard and equipment [...]