I am a Swiss designer of large to monumental Kinetic, Light & Water Sculptures. I live and design in my studios Palm Beach County, Florida, USA and Geneva, Switzerland.

My passion is the design and creation of large to monumental 3 dimensional kinetic and LIGHT sculptures that move in the wind and water. I also design sound-sculptures, suspended mobiles as well as fountains.

 

These iconic and unique designs are usually site-specifically created for commercial, institutional and public buildings, plazas and parks, mostly in urban environments.

 

My kinetic sculptures have been exhibited or installed in

the USA, Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, Russia and China.


PLEASE CLICK ON THE DESIRED SECTION:
1) Selected Recent Achievements

2) Art Related Memberships

3) Press Coverage


1) Selected Recent Achievements:

2001 Semi-finalist in the 2001 International Photo Competition sponsored by the International Library of Photography Books.

3/27/01  Exhibition of “Red Baron” sculpture at the Palm Beach Armory Center for the Arts, West Palm Beach, Florida.

April to August '01 - 4 months Exhibition “Fjords of Paradise” und “Florida Flock of Kleenex”   at the Palm Beach International Airport Main Terminal.  

June 2001 Permanent installation of “Florida Flock of Kleenex” in 3’ by 9’ format as well as 30 Images of the SEPIA SERIES in the Galleria International Building, W. Palm Beach.

July 2001   Solo-Exhibition at the Synergy Gallery, W. Palm Beach.

October 2001 “Plenty of Time” photographic image from the WORLD CLOUDSCAPE SERIES, published in the International Library of Photography Books Web of Memories”, ISBN 1-58235-631-9.

March 2002  Exhibition of “Heavenly Sunrise” at the “Eye on the Everglades” event W. Palm Beach, sponsored by the Palm Beach County Cultural Council (PBCCC). 

February 2003  Published in the International Library of Photography Books“Best Photos of 2003”,  ISBN 1-58235-805-2

April 2003  Exhibition of about 20 large photos as well as the premiere of the first 3D Photography Movie - 3D Images taken with Greg Ross at the EXPOSURE FotoFestival in West Palm Beach, Florida -

June 2003  15 ft Kinetic Sculpture “Moving on Up” exhibited at the 3rd Biennale ART IN MOTION 2003 in Leeuwarden, Holland. For short videos of exhibition and other AIM info go to:http://www.vijversburg.nl/pages/qt_overzicht.htm

October 2003    Kinetic Sculpture “Moving on Up” featured in the Exhibition Catalog:
ART  INTERNATIONAL  |  5th International Art Fair  |  5. Internationale Kunstmesse  |  Kongresshaus        Zurich  |  17-20 October 2003

November 2003    Kinetic Sculpture “Moving on Up” travels to St. Petersburg, Russia - see Press Release

December 2003    Keynote Speaker at SACC Kinetic Art Presentation at Art Basel Miami

February 2004         Recipient of the International Society of Photographers (ISP) Outstanding Achievement Award 2004 for the image "Plenty of Time"

April 2004          Premiere of the 3D Ballet Florida "Poetry in Motion" Movie in the Downtown Cinema - contact Ralfonso to receive the Movie (3D Glasses help but are not critical)

June 2004           One month Solo Exhibition at the Grand Hotel Europe-Kempinski, St. Petersburg, Russia- see Press Release and permanent installation.

September 2004        Part of the KAO Group exhibition at the Library of the Chinese Academy of Science in Beijing, China

December 2004    Selected as one of 17 Swiss Artists to exhibit at the SwissArtMiami, Florida, USA.

January 2005      Recipient of City of W. Palm Beach Bench Design Commission (with Mr. Greg Ross).  

March 2005      Recipient of the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line commission for the ExoCentric Spirits Metal #1. Click Here For More Info

April 2005     Co-Recipient of the Ballet Florida commission for a 120’ (40m) by 30’ (10m) Photographic Mural entitled  “Poetry in Motion”. Click Here For More Info

May 2005      3rd Prize Winner in the USD 300,000  International Sculpture Competition for 610 Clematis Development www.610Clematis.com in W. Palm Beach, Florida

May 2005      Winner - 1st Prize in the International Sculpture Competition for the luxury condominium Opera Place Development www.operaplacewpb.com in W. Palm Beach, Florida. Click Here For More Info

December 2005     Panel speaker at the International Sculpture Center (ISC) Perspective Conference at SCOPE - Art Basel Miami Beach.

April 2006     Recipient of the Outstanding Award and money prize in the International Sculpture Competition by the City of Beijing (selected from 2700 submissions from over 40 Countries).

May 2006   Three sculptures at the 6 months MomentuM KAO group exhibition at Grounds for Sculpture, New Jersey, USA

September 2006   Guest speaker at Public Art for Olympic Games 2008 Conference by China Urban Sculpture Committee in Beijing, China.

Keynote Speaker and Guest Lecturer at the Beijing Central Academy of Fine Arts and the Tsinghua University, both in Beijing, China.

November 2006   Exhibition of AD INFINITUM at the 2nd Art & Science Biennale the Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.

November 2006   French fine cognac company Martell (Pernod Ricard) licenses Ralfonso G-Ring Design for 5,000 small sculptures and several large ones.

November 2006
   Finalist with Honorarium in the international competition for the central lobby sculpture in the new hospital complex in Ulster, Ireland.

December 2006
   MTR Corporation HK - Commission for a 45ft by 30ft (15m by 10m) ExoCentric Spirit suspended mobile for the central lobby atrium of the new Union Square Tower and Elements Mall in Hong Kong.

March 2007   City of Zhengzhou, China Commission for a 21ft AD INFINITUM wind sculpture.

May 2007   Group Exhibition and Prize Winner at the Art & Science Biennale, Shanghai, China.

July 2007    Recipient of the second Honor Award in the “Beauty of Harmony” Competition for MOVING ON UP - by the National Guiding Committee for Public Sculpture, P.R. China.

 October 2007    Selected by the Committee of “Art & Dream for the Beijing Olympics” as one of 19 international commissioned Artists to create the 10m (30ft) with base - kinetic sculpture "Dance with the Wind" for the 2008 Olympic Games - May 2008 permanently installed at the ICE CUBE swimming pavilion.

January 2008   Panelist at the Art Basel Miami Beach – Swiss Chamber of Commerce "CEO Forum 2008" Symposium.

May 2008   “Sculpture in Motion” Exhibition Atlanta, USA from May to October 2008

June 2008     Prize Winner selected from over 2,400 submissions from 82 Countries by the Chinese Olympic Art Committee for the Olympic Games 2008 in Beijing for OLYMPIAD - one year traveling exhibition through 12 Cities in China, California, the Olympic Museum in LausanneSwitzerland, Italy, etc. Winner of the Bronze Medal in June 2008.


2) Art Related Memberships (partial list):

·     Member of the Fuji Professional Network for Photographers, USA

·     Member of the Photographic Society of America (PSA), USA

·     Member of the Palm Beach Photographic Center, USA

·     Member of “Fotofusion”, Delray, USA

·     Member of the German Press Association, Germany

·     Member of SwissArt.Net, Switzerland

·     Member of Florida Artist Registry

·     Member of World Artist Registry

·     Member of Americans for the Arts, (AFTA), USA

·     Member of the International Sculpture Center, (ISC),  USA

·     Professional Circle Member of the International Sculpture Center-Europe, (ISC-E)

·     Member of French Union of Sculptors - Syndicat National des Sculpteurs et Plasticiens, France

·  Member of Art & Science Collaborations, Inc. (ASCI)

·     Colleague of the National Sculpture Society, (NSS), USA

·     Co-Founder and Member of the Board of the European Kinetic Art Society, KINETICUS, www.kineticus.com, Germany

·     Co-founder and President of the international Kinetic Art Organization (KAO) www.kinetic-art.org.  
With more then 1000 members in over 60 Countries and now the largest kinetic art organization in the world.

·     Co-Founder of the annual EXPOSURE FotoFestival in West Palm Beach, Florida

·     Co-Founder and board member (ret.) of SWISSARTMIAMI

·       Founding Board member (ret.) of the Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce Florida Chapter

·       USA Manager  for A.I.E.S.M. – International Association of Monumental Sculpture Events - http://www.aiesm.com/


3) Press Coverage (partial list since 2003):

See examples here:
A) Ralfonso Kinetic Sculpture Press Coverage
   
B)
Ballet Florida Gigantic Mural Press Coverage

PRINT: International Library of Photography Books, Art International Catalog, Architectural Record Magazine, American Style Magazine, Aargauer Zeitung (CH), NeoCity Architecture Magazine (RU), Guild Book, Russian National TV, Public Art Review, International Sculpture Center Photo Gallery, Cosmopolitan Magazine, Aeroflot Inflight Magazine, Elle Magazine, 100% RED, Interior and Design, World and Home, Construction Weekly, Real Estate and Construction, Pravda, St. Petersburg monthly, Palm Beach Post, American Airline Magazine, Palm Beach Daily "Shiny" Sheet, Swiss Review, Sun Sentinel Miami, Florida Wise Magazine, Star Daily (China), China-JSB, Sculpture Magazine-China, American Art Collector, IN Magazine (Hong Kong), etc, 24 Hours – Hong Kong Post Magazine, TAN – The Art Newspaper – China #190 and #193, Sculpture Network – Europe – July & August 2008 Edition, HINGE Architecture Magazine – Hong Kong, Perspective Plus Architecture – Hong Kong 2008, Palm Beach Post, Palm Beach Illustrated Summer Edition '08, Palm Beach Society Magazine August '08, Art of the Times - Summer 2008, ART NOW Online

MORE PRESS COVERAGE, TV, INTERNET - click here

 

This site was last updated 03/16/09