Page 274 - Making things move_ DIY mechanisms for inventors, hobbyists, and artists

Chapter 8 Combining Simple Machines for Work and Fun 251

FIGURE 8-14 Leonardo DaVinci’s robot

engineer turned artist, was probably the first American to popularize this kinetic art
form through his mobiles and his circus, which he created in the 1920s. Calder’s circus
of miniature moving wire figures grew from a few characters in 1920 to eventually fill
five suitcases, which he carried around to give performances. A video of his circus was
created in 1961 and was most recently on exhibit at the Whitney Museum of American
Art in New York City, along with a collection of his circus characters. Sam Smith, a
British artist, created kinetic art and toys throughout the 1960s and 1970s that heavily
influenced many modern mechanical toy makers.

More modern examples of kinetic sculpture and mechanical toys include Arthur Ganson’s
machines and the work of the artists of Cabaret Mechanical Theatre. Figure 8-15 shows
Eun Jung (EJ) Park’s Mechanical Storytelling: The Story of Grouchy the Clown automaton
(see www.ejpark.com). Figure 8-16 shows an example from Andrew Jordan’s Sound
Creatures project (see www.andyjordan.us/).