Automata

Did I mention that my day job is boring the tits off me? The silver lining is that I get to spend some time surfing the net looking for curiosities and interesting things. Usually helps to type random words into google.

I haven't a scooby why but the word 'automata' popped into my noggin, but it was duly googled (think I was listening to Handsome Boy Modelling School at the time so this may have had something to do with it). Some very, very interesting links resulted. There is a whole industry of artists producing kinetic sculptures, wind up 'toys', mobiles etc etc.

And then I find a youtube link to this fella, Theo Jansen. His kinetic wind sculptures move in a rather creepy fashion but you have to admire the dedication and sheer savant-like capabilities that allow him to 'see' how such a complex mechanism will function AND build it (from chair legs and such). Mind boggling.

Photo by Loek van der Klis