Ronald Moody
Technological Acrobatics
1900-1984
Technological Acrobatics
1972-73
Aluminium, resin
99 x 43 x 5 cm
In this work, which was originally called ‘Destruction’ Moody enlarges on the theme of man’s potential for self-destruction. Moody said the gearwheel symbolises “technology gaining the upper hand, causing man’s slow destruction: in a sense, to consume himself”.
The sculpture belongs to a group of philosophically oriented works from the late 1960s and early 1970s, which also include, Man… His Universe (1969) in Leicester Museum and Galleries, and The Eternal Circle (1970), in Wakefield Permanent Art Collection These works explore themes related to humanity’s relationship with technology, the future of civilisation and the tension between human creativity and technological development.
Technological Acrobats reflects Moody’s concern with the changing modern world, suggesting human figures navigating or balancing within increasingly technological environments. The title itself evokes ideas of adaptation, movement, and precarious balance, suggesting that humanity must learn to manoeuvre within new technological realities.
The sculpture remained in the collection of Cynthia Moody, where photographs show it displayed in her home.
