Catching Up

I'm sorry I haven't been posting lately but I've been busy with the kitchen renovations - nearly done now, thank goodness - and then ill. On the mend again now, though, and while I was scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed I came across a New Yorker article about Dutch artist Theo Jansen, the creator of the kinetic sculptures he calls Strandbeest (the name translates as beach animals or creatures).

Made from PVC pipe framework and incorporating wood, rope and fabric, the sculptures are simply breathtaking. Able to move on their own using wind and in some cases stored energy, they look like extraordinary animals wandering along the beach. I had seen some of these wonderful moving sculptures before but I had no idea of the history behind them or why the artist felt compelled to make them so the article was very illuminating. Originally fairly rudimentary, Strandbeests have been developed into complex and lovely creations and the prospect of the artist's dream of herds of them loosed on beaches is mind-blowing. He views them as being alive and looking at them you can understand why he might think that.

You can see a video featuring some of Jansen's work here and his website with links to other articles and a TED talk is here.