Theo Jansen

Theo Jansen is a Dutch artist who since 1990 has been building walking kinetic sculptures that he calls a new form of life. His "Strandbeests" walk the coastline of Holland, feeding on wind and fleeing from water.












The initial generations were bulky and rudimentary they have evolved to adapt and react to their environment on the beaches. “Over time, these skeletons have become increasingly better at surviving the elements such as storms and water and eventually I want to put these animals out in herds on the beaches, so they will live their own lives.” Theo’s more sophisticated creations are able to detect once they have entered the water and walk away from it, and one species will even anchor itself to the earth if it senses a storm approaching.












They are intricately constructed of wood, plastic tubes – electrical conduit a purpose design electrical piping systems used for protecting and routing electrical wiring. “I make skeletons that are able to walk on the wind, so they don’t have to eat.” The creatues have stomachs consisting of recycled plastic bottles that store air, captured by gossamer (light, delicate) wings that flap and pump air a high pressure to us in the absence of wind, these to power the many spindly legs.



www.ted.com
Theo Jansen: the art of creating creatures
March 2007

AMAZING!