Meet Theo Jansen, A Dutch Sculptor Who Builds Giant Kinetic Creatures [VIDEO]
Theo Jansen is a Dutch physicist-turned-artist who has been creating 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.
For the last 27 years Jansen has been building his skeleton creatures using DIY plastic pipes. His Iteratively designed and intricately assembled self-propelled beach animals have evolved over the years, becoming increasingly complex and lifelike, with specialised adaptations to help them survive in their seaside environment. Each animal has a “DNA code”, which Jansen describes as the proportion between their spine and the pipes that make up their feet. These numbers mean that they can be reproduced quickly and effectively using 3D printers.
To find out more about his amazing beasts, watch Jansen’s TED talk below:
Image Credit: TED
Written by: Fattima Mahdi
Fattima Mahdi is a author, mentor, lyricist and professional roller-skater. She uses both her love for writing and music to address socio-political issues prevalent in society today. She is also the proud author of Love Don’t Come Easy. Read More stories by Fattima Mahdi
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