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John Rosenbaum

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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

Early life and education

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Rosenbaum was born on September 3, 1934, in Brigantine, New Jersey. He attended Cornell University,[6][7] where he graduated with a degree in engineering physics in 1957.[8]

Career

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Xylopipes, designed by Rosenbaum for Creative Playthings, c. 1960s

After graduated from Cornell University in 1957, Rosenbaum moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in the early 1960s, where 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.

Exhibitions

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Death

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Rosenbaum died in Alameda, California, on September 30, 2003, from complications of Parkinson's disease.[25]

References

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  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. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on October 12, 2011. Retrieved May 24, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  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. ^ Thompson, Peter, ed.; "John Rosenbaum and Arthur Okamura", Catalogue, The Civic Arts Gallery, May 21 – June 28, 1975
  24. ^ "Arthur Okamura Exhibitions/Bibliography, Braunstein/Quay Gallery website". Bquayartgallery.com. Archived from the original on February 24, 2012. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  25. ^ "Cornell Alumni Magazine" July/Aug. 2004 V. 107 # 1, Alumni Deaths Archived May 16, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
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