Strandmonsters

A few years ago BMW had an ad running on TV that featured Dutch artist Theo Jansen. He is a kinetic sculptor, and he creates these "beests" ( Dutch for "monster") that just require a little wind to be able to move on their own.  He hopes that one day, his creations will be able to live independently of him in little herds.

This is the BMW advert. 

I like how the strandbeests are a bit like Frankenstein, they are somehow created by a master who has control and yet does not . However, this one combines his engineering skills with aesthetics. So perhaps a prettier monster? I like the way they move, the way it looks like skeletons that have come alive to take an evening stroll. I like how they seem alive but one knows they are not.  

If you are interested in Mr Jansen and his creations, you can go look at his website or watch the TED video.

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