Comments on: Lacy steampunk earth-moving machines

By: Antinous

Antinous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

the problem here is that the poster looks at things within the context of his own point of view

Um.

By: ivan256

ivan256 — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

#6: I think you’re right about steampunk “just beginning”… As in it’s becoming more mainstream…

I don’t think this picture is evidence of it though. What’s steampunk about it? I don’t know how they managed it, but it seems to me that they’ve taken all of the “steam” and the “punk” out of a steamshovel and made a silly, frilly pile of rust shaped like a steamshovel. It neither is, nor is made to appear to be technology of modern capabilities, but powered by (or made to appear to be powered by) steam. It does exhibit a good deal of attention to “form”, but none to “function”.

By: t3hmadhatter

t3hmadhatter — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

you know, people, there is such a think as IGNORING the steampunk posts. no need to spam it with “no more steampunk” if you dont like it, dont click the link.
pi think some have a point though, ive noticed that steampunk is usually something that is old or clockwork like that still works like a modern object. less steampunk, more interesting modern art. still a very cool sculpture though.

By: anthony

anthony — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

This stuff is influenced by Gothic architecture. You know, flying buttresses and what not. Much older than the early 1900′s.
Unfortunately, the term “Gothic Punk” is already in use.

By: Wolfairy

Wolfairy — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

This is a beautifully made work, and even more, a very astute comment. Delvoye is parodying religion and development, all in on great gesture. The laser cut work is more than decoration, it serves a purpose in addition to, and beyond, visual aesthetics.

For other great laser cut steel works see: Cal Lane
http://www.callane.com/

By: Teresa Nielsen Hayden / Moderator

Teresa Nielsen Hayden / Moderator — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I like it. Most large-scale metal sculpture intended for public spaces leaves me cold. This is a steam shovel — an inherently likeable form — transformed into a decorative object.

My maternal grandfather would have liked it a lot.
…

Mojave, that’s a silly thing to say. No one can tell how long Steampunk is going to last, but it’s clear that it’s nowhere near over.

By: anthony

anthony — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Oh.
I just read all the comments that already ID’d the stuff as gothic architecture.

It’s a starling?

By: markfrei

markfrei — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

People have been doing art like this long before “steampunk” and I suspect anyone that is doing their own thing (as opposed to chasing a trend) will continue to do so long after. Plenty of “steampunk” artists don’t like the term and refuse to label themselves this way.

By: Ninth Stage

Ninth Stage — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Painstaking and laser-cut don’t really go together, intricate works.

By: GraemeM

GraemeM — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Is it rusty or just coloured red?

By: Xopher

Xopher — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I don’t see calling this steampunk, actually. But I like it (and steampunk). I love the way the harsh clunky brute-force nature of the steamshovel, which is even a metaphor for overdone heavy-handedness, contrasts with the delicate laciness of the cutting patterns.

I like the Gothic cathedral-cum-bulldozer (click the “D 11″ on the linked page) even more though. Damn that’s pretty.

By: buddy66

buddy66 — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Relax, for Crissakes! Steampunk is a goof. And a good one. If it doesn’t make you laugh, I wonder what does?

Bunch of sober-sided pickle-pusses.

By: Takuan

Takuan — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

reminds me of the only good things in that horrendous Wild West film.

By: Cowicide

Cowicide — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Wow, this is absolutely fantastic art. Thanks for pointing this out, boingboing!

By: kaiza

kaiza — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

This is great and all, and I can appreciate the intricacy and art in laser-cutting, but I would love to see the same idea applied using cast wrought iron pieces instead. That would be far more Victorian.

By: Wolfairy

Wolfairy — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Steampunk is one label out of many, the problem here is that the poster looks at things within the context of his own point of view, rather than the context in which the thing exists. It is not steampunk, some qualities are similar, sure, but the label disservices the meaning and impact of the artwork. Shame.

By: artbot

artbot — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

It would be more valid to argue why things like this constantly get the “steampunk” moniker than whether it actually is steampunk (it’s not).

Neat, but it’s more gothic ironwork than Victorian-era leather, wood and rivits.

By: Razzbar

Razzbar — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I’ve never been too fond of the term ‘steampunk’. The ‘steam’ makes sense, but ‘punk’ is a word with too much baggage and evolution to be definitive. What’s ‘punk’ about it? Does it imply incompetence? Rebellion? Pettiness? What does ‘punk’ mean in the first place?

I prefer ‘neo-nouveau’. Most of the steampunk objects we see remind me of the art nouveau movement of a century ago.

Whatever you call it, I like it. A lot of it, anyway. Not this example, however.

By: jfrancis

jfrancis — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I remember one time I was making a Mississippi River boat in computer graphics for a project I realized as I was positioning lathe-turned decorative posts under the deck rail that I was making a veranda for a typical Southern mansion of the day.

Riverboats use the language of the houses of their day.

So using that logic you could infer a Medieval riverboat. Or a spacey 60′s apartment complex riverboat.

Later I was working on a project involving paisley and I began to wonder if paisley had a decorative language with rules that could be translated from India to, say, Bavaria.

And what would be the Harajuku Girls of other cultures?

By: GammaBlog

GammaBlog — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

That looks like Central Park. I wonder if it is still there. Amazing. It would be something if they were still functional.

By: buddy66

buddy66 — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Bunch of sober-sided pickle-pusses.

By: insomma

insomma — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Not for sand or gravel.

By: Frederik

Frederik — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

On the Belgian coast, there is also a Caterpillar from Wim Delvoye (he is a Belgian artist).
This is located near Middelkerke.
Here is a photo of it :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/debuck/2790244309

By: Mojave

Mojave — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

rth t BngBng….Cm n BngBng……pls b dvsd tht “stmpnk” s vr. fns. D–N-. kpt. cpch?

By: clueless in brooklyn

clueless in brooklyn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Someone is always saying something is “over” or “dead” and I’m always wondering why they are still here.

This thing is effin gorgeous.

By: qurve

qurve — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

S nw nythng tht lks lk t hs sm rst n t ls qlfs s stmpnk? f s hv vry stmpnk cr fr sl.

By: Art

Art — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

@ Mojave ##.

( static noise… a faint voice crackles over the speaker)

“So Sorry, Signiore. Steampunk is just beginning.”

Evidence of this fact is pictured above in the magnificent sculpture.

@#5. LOL

Thanks for the post.

By: MaximusNYC

MaximusNYC — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Steam?

Punk?

The label makes no sense to me. But the artwork is beautiful.

By: AahMyEyes

AahMyEyes — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Not a very practical earth mover…

By: Yamara

Yamara — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Nothing’s more steampunk than an earth-mover.

It’s called a “steam shovel“, don’t you know.