Khushbu Kshirsagar

Mechanical Artist
Northwestern University
Khushbu is an engineer, artist and educator interested in designing hands-on learning experiences at an intersection of engineering design, mathematics and art. Her work focusses on designing playful ways of creative mathematical exploration through tangible making. She designs educational technologies in the form of interactive mechanical art, paper zines and puzzles; with the intention to take one away from the computer screen, and to enable accessibility.
Movable Squares
Movable Squares
22 x 28 cm
Cardstock paper, brass fasteners
2022
Using paper as a medium for depicting movable squares, this kinetic sculpture is made up of squares that move mechanically and are connected with linkages derived by the diagonals of each of the squares in the sculpture. When manually operated, the sculpture demonstrates moveable square forms consisting of orthodiagonal quadrilaterals, pertaining to conformal transformations. This sculpture can be endlessly repeated by the addition of linkages and squares on the paper grid. The formation of the base can be obtained by establishing relationships between the inscribed circle within the square, the length of the square's diagonal and an arbitrary thickness of the link. All parts were laser-cut.