Description

This is a “whirligig” sculpture by Vollis Simpson (1919-2013). Simpson was an American outsider folk artist known for his large kinetic sculptures that he called “whirligigs”. After working as a machinist and farmer for most his life, he started to build these whirligigs on his property in Lucama, North Carolina during retirement. This particular whirligig is a smaller version of his larger whirligigs ( many stand over 50 feet tall), but still uses found items and scrap metal like his larger whirligigs. Simpson was commissioned to create a whirligig for the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore. The 55-foot high, 45-foot wide whirligig called "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness" was installed for the museum's opening in November, 1995. He was also commissioned to create whirligigs for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Four of his works were installed at the Olympic's Folk Art Park and remain there on permanent display.