Pedro S. de Movellán American, b. 1967
-
Works
Pedro S. de Movellán American, b. 1967
OCTOBER 2025 SERIES #5, 2025Brushed Aluminum, stainless steel19 x 21 inches
48.3 x 53.3 cm1of 3Biography
Pedro S. De Movellán (b. 1967, Providence, Rhode Island) is considered one of the world's most well known kinetic sculptors alive today. The son of an abstract painter and an architect, de Movellán perfectly balances both of their influences in his own work, along with the influence of modern masters Alexander Calder and George Rickey. His inspirations are varied and often arrive unexpectedly. They adapt elements observed in the natural world into a distinct visual language. Birds have been a staple within this arena, perhaps because they represent, in the artist’s mind, the gold standard for working with air currents. Much of the work is driven by air movement. The artist feels they have succeeded in creating a great piece of art when the motion it exhibits possesses a quality of random surprise in its movement, akin to a dance. The outdoor work is especially effective in this regard due to the randomness of weather.
The artist is drawn to geometric forms, particularly the contrast that occurs as one passes in front of another—an arc that gracefully slices past a stoic straight line. This interaction projects a feeling or illuminates an idea. The essence of a new work begins there.
The work is exquisitely crafted. Having come from a background in furniture making and wooden boatbuilding, excellence in craftsmanship has been central to the artist’s practice. Despite having moved from the use of wood into primarily metals, this aspect of the work remains central to its appeal. In an era of digital centrality in much of contemporary life, the work provides an analog respite. Through the tangible surface quality and movement of the work, the viewer is transported to a place that is difficult to replicate on a screen.
Ultimately, de Movellán wishes for the viewer to be moved in a positive way after experiencing the work—whether through the surprising qualities of a particular piece that were unexpected, or through inspiration drawn from something absorbed while encountering one of his creations.
Private & Corporate Collections
O’Melveny & Myers New York Headquarters, New York City, New York
Eaton World Headquarters, Beachwood, Ohio
Woodlands Center, Houston, Texas
Outdoor Gibbous, Big Sky Arts Council, Big Sky, Montana
U.S.A. Denmark, Switzerland, Germany, Saudi Arabia, S. Korea and Great BritainExhibitions-
Selected Contemporary Paintings & Sculpture
Feb 21 – Apr 4, 2018View More -
Pedro S. de Movellan
Kinetic Sculpture Nov 21, 2013 – Jan 18, 2014John Berggruen Gallery is pleased to present an exhibition of new kinetic sculpture by American artist Pedro S. de Movellán. This exhibition marks the artist’s first solo exhibition at the gallery, as well as his first exhibition in San Francisco, and will be on view November 21 – December 28th, 2013. The exhibition will coincide with the publishing of de Movellán’s catalogue raisonné “Pedro S. de Movellán: Complete Works 1990-2012,” written by Maxwell Davidson IV and Charles C. Davidson, and published by Schiffer Publishing Ltd. John Berggruen Gallery will host an opening reception for the artist on Thursday, November 21st from 5:30 – 7:30 pm.View More
Pedro S. de Movellán is considered one of the world's most well known kinetic sculptors alive today. The son of an abstract painter and an architect, de Movellán perfectly balances both of their influences in his own work, along with the influence of modern masters Alexander Calder and George Rickey. Each work is unique, precisely constructed to be refined and detailed, yet unpredictable in its motion. His sculptures invite both a playful curiosity and an educated investigation into the physics of his careening constructions. These works evoke both the spontaneity of their external influences (they are susceptible to react to even the slightest breath of the viewer) as well as inspire a careful examination of their elaborate mechanical qualities. de Movellán transcends the role of the expressive artist to incorporate the rigorous training of the engineer and the obsessive conditions of the innovator into his multidimensional works. The sculptures in this exhibition aim to describe their surrounding space, to elaborate on the potential of the design of the room it belongs to. In short, de Movellán’s works not only contribute towards an elevated sense of their immediate space, but also, define it. These kinetic sculptures are not designed to revolve or work around other aural elements; they instead use a privileged centrifugal energy to transform and advance their environments.
de Movellán has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in sculpture from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. His work is in private and corporate collections in the United States, as well as Switzerland, Germany, and Saudi Arabia. De Movellán’s work has been exhibited in solo and group shows at the Herter Gallery, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and the Grinnell College Art Gallery, Bucksbaum Center for the Arts. He lives and works in Stockbridge, MA.
Art Fairs-
FOG Design + Art
San Francisco, California Jan 21 – 25, 2026Berggruen Gallery is proud to announce our participation in FOG: Design + Art 2026. Please visit us at Booth 109 at the Fort Mason Center...View More -
Art Basel Miami Beach
Miami Beach, Florida Dec 4 – 7, 2025Berggruen Gallery is delighted to participate in the 2025 edition of Art Basel Miami Beach. 2025 marks Berggruen Gallery’s twenty-third consecutive year participating in ABMB,...View More
InquireSend me more information on Pedro S. de Movellán
