Roundhead, 1961

Roundhead 1961, steel and gold rings, music box, motors, steel case, 65 x 27 x 27 cm.  This is one of Lye’s smaller works and uses Ann Lye’s wedding band as the centre ring.  The rings spin silently in space, winding and unwinding and their motion is accompanied by the quirky, counterpoint sound of an ‘altered’ music box.  Lye originally called this work ‘Rings” but later changed its name to 'Orrery' because it resembled an 18th century working model of the solar system.  On discovering its resemblance to the ‘Y’ chromosome (also called a Roundhead), Lye again changed its name.