Torque Moment, Torque Momentum
This lightweight, uplifting, and elegant site-responsive sculpture, located in the lobby of Cummins’ Global Distribution Headquarters, is designed to evoke the wonder of complex systems—from the micro level of the engines that Cummins produces, to the macro level of Cummins’ global distribution network. The work speaks to the core concepts of precision and the dynamic interconnectedness of parts to a whole.
In considering the language of the constructed engine, the design of the artwork has its genesis in the idea of the rotating circle. The template for the design was developed by beginning with circles and cylinder shapes, and then generating three-dimensional forms in the studio through a process not unlike machine lathing. The aim was to create unique sculptural parts that individually and in configuration suggest both the delicacy of mechanical engineering line drawings and the complex workings of the machine.
Kendall Buster was born in Selma, Alabama. Before pursuing an education in art, she studied microbiology and earned a degree in Medical Technology. She went on to earn a B.F.A. from the Corcoran College of Art and Design, a M.F.A. in Sculpture from Yale University, and to participate in the Whitney Museum’s Independent Study Studio Program. She has become well known as an artist who can effectively combine her knowledge and love of art and science to create stunning site-specific installations. Buster has exhibited around the world and her permanent installations can be found in places such as the U.S. Embassy in Rabat, Morocco; the convention center in Washington D.C.; the San Francisco International Airport; Johns Hopkins and Princeton universities; and more. Currently, Buster lives in Richmond, Virginia, and teaches at Virginia Commonwealth University. Learn more about the artist at http://www.kendallbuster.com/
Cummins designs, manufactures, distributes, and services diesel and natural gas engines and related technologies. Their Global Distribution Headquarters, designed by Deborah Berke Partners of Chicago, opened in 2016 after more than three years in the making. The Indianapolis facility and its commissioned artwork extend the Fortune 200 company’s long history of blending unique architectural style with the needs of employees, customers and visitors, and incorporating design excellence into the communities in which it operates.
