Kinetic Art & Projects
KSW is looking for art to connect with and artists with whom to collaborate! Got an Iron Giant that spits fire but no way to make it go? Have a sculpture that needs power to make it move? Bat winged angels dancing on the head of a pin and no way spin it around? Won a Genius Grant and want to build that redwood scale popcorn popper tactile art environment?
We’re getting the word out.
Kinetic Art & Steam Applications
So Far:
» Dihemispheric Chronaether Agitator, by Alan Rorie, in the artist's words, "...a kinetic, 'steampunk' sculpture of a 'time machine' that is powered by a real steam boiler and steam engine. It was built in collaboration with my good friends at Kinetic Steam Works. It was originally displayed at the Edwardian Ball in 2008."
» Steampunk Tree House
» Flaming Canopy
» Sculpture
» Carousel
» Tender w/ propane lanterns
» The Dingus (operational performance sculpture)
» Playa Sauna
» Moveable Type
Some ideas:
» Steam Powered Theremin! Which is to say, 1) steam driven dynamo creates electricity, 2) it powers the theremin, 3) you or groups of you, play it! We're imagining something kinda large here, maybe the sort of thing you play with your body or several bodies, you know, teamwork, rather than just two hands. A little bit Frankenstein, a little bit country, no, scratch that, Early Electronic Music Style Steam Punk.
» Projected images on steam, film, video, the steam "screen" becomes part of the performance, an ever shifting backdrop adding depth & dimension.
» Sculptures (kinetic, steam emitting kinetic), mobiles, etc.
» Musical instruments: calliopes, organs, creepy automatic orchestras.
» Embossment: swappable tire tread components that’d leave an impermanent design or words stamped on the playa surface.
» A set of modular assemblies (sculpture, body parts, etc.), interchangeable components put together by participants and made to move with mechanical energy. Sort of a powered erector set, possibly anthropomorphic.
» Rube Goldberg devices: the steam powered sandwich cookie separator’s been mentioned.
» The world’s most powerful espresso machine, milk frother?
» Belt driven bubble fan!
You'd like to build something? We're plug'n'play:
If you're building kinetic art that works via direct steam pressure, we can provide the following Universal Steam Art Coupling (USAC)*:
» Rigid male ½" pipe w/NPT threads on one end.
» Female ½" pipe union w/NPT threads on the other end.
*For safety reasons, we can only use this type of threaded pipe connection for peripherals.
» If your idea's belt driven, drop us an email to discuss the possibilities.