Patrice Hubert: Kinétic Mécanik

French artist Patrice Hubert is a self-taught sculptor, inventor and creator of the unique performance works entitled, “Kinetic Mecanik”  Hubert’s work fits into the Gothic Revival of the late 19th Century and New Age movement of the 1970′s.  Inspired by HR Giger and Hieronymus Bosch, he uses the inventiveness from da Vinci to Jack Kirby to create metal sculptures that come to life.

Hubert’s allegorical sculptures, monumental in size, evoke the curiosity of machines and the organic forms of nature heavily weighted within the “Steampunk” movement where present day technology is still being run by steam.  Fantastical yet fictional, Hubert’s sculptures melds the cold and often mechanical side of man and within the same, creates life like creatures that evoke spiders and insects. The Work, which is rebellious, yet philosophically beautiful, the work stands to presume a time of the past and future yet each sculpture is kinetic in nature and a fully functional moving sculpture, ensuring that the motors are hidden and the lights emerge from within the pieces bringing life to his late 19th century inspirations.

Not unlike a race car or roller coaster, Hubert’s work begins with an accelerated motion until it reaches its full velocity.  The work stands to question our own physical movement beckoning us to question the psychological rebellion each individual incurs when confronted with the new and the desire to remain in the comfort of the past. (bio from The Conference Room)

To see more of Hubert’s work, visit 1661235.com. Check out videos of these kinetic creations in motion on You Tube.

Discovered via:  Hi-Fructose

Theo Jansen: Kinetic Sculpture

From TED Talks – a great presentation from Dutch kinetic artist Theo Jansen who demonstrates his lifelike kinetic sculptures. “Jansen has been working for 16 years to create sculptures that move on their own in eerily lifelike ways. Each generation of his “Strandbeests” is subject to the forces of evolution, with successful forms moving forward into new designs. Jansen’s vision and long-term commitment to his wooden menagerie is as fascinating to observe as the beasts themselves.

His newest creatures walk without assistance on the beaches of Holland, powered by wind, captured by gossamer wings that flap and pump air into old lemonade bottles that in turn power the creatures’ many plastic spindly legs. The walking sculptures look alive as they move, each leg articulating in such a way that the body is steady and level. They even incorporate primitive logic gates that are used to reverse the machine’s direction if it senses dangerous water or loose sand where it might get stuck.”

To see more video of Jansen’s fascinating work, visit StrandBeest.com.