Theo Jansen is an artist and engineer who creates intricate and gorgeous creatures who roam beaches, powered by the wind.
I saw a video about Jansen's project (posted below) a while ago, and was intrigued, but did not imagine that I would have a chance to see his creations first-hand.
This changed abruptly a couple weeks ago when I spotted a poster in a Seoul subway station for a Theo Jansen exhibit at the National Gwacheon Science museum. (I learned the location later when I translated it on my computer.)Yesterday, I went with my friend James to check out the exhibit, which included some demonstrations of the creatures moving. It was fascinating - both because the animals were themselves things of beautiful evolutionary design, but also for the insights it suggests about the evolution of all living things. Kevin Kelly's TED talk, which I posted earlier, talked about "life hacks", and the hacks that Jansen's creatures have evolved to avoid the dangers of the beach - the sea and the storms, for example - are an elegant analogy to the natural world.
TED video and a few more pictures after the jump. Many thanks to James for the pictures and the company.
This is very cool Steve, very interesting pictures!
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That guy's nuts. No doubt a creative genius, but nuts just the same. Although when I try to come up with a more accurate word than animals, I do get stumped.
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