Strandbeest: The Dream Machines of Theo Jansen

Theo Jansen, Lena Herzog, Lawrence Weschler

ISBN 10: 3836548496 / ISBN 13: 9783836548496

Published by Taschen, 2014

About this Item

Text in English, French and German. In Fine condition. Signed with a flourishing design by the artist Theo Jansen on the full page facing the half title and by Lena Herzog and Lawrence Weschler to the title page. "Sculptural species: A new life form in its own right? For the past seven years, photographer and artist Lena Herzog has followed the evolution of a new, kinetic species. Intricate as insects, but with bursts of equine energy, the Strandbeests or beach creatures, are the passionate project of Dutch artist Theo Jansen, who has been working for nearly two decades to create a new life-form that moves, and even survives, on its own. Picking up the wind in gossamer wings, the Strandbeests suddenly acquire uncanny, animate movements, as if it were blood, not the breeze, running through their delicate forms, and living tissue, not plastic tubing, that made up their scuttling limbs. Coinciding with a travelling exhibition, this photographic tribute from Herzog captures Jansen's menagerie on the beaches of Holland where, through a process of evolution, they now trot against the sun, sand and sea, pausing to change direction if they sense loose sand or water that might destabilize their movement. Carefully composed in a meditative black and white, Herzog's images celebrate Jansen's imaginative vision, as much as they show the eerie intersection of animate and inanimate in his creatures. The result is a work of art in its own right and a mesmerizing encounter with a very surrealist brand of marvelous, and with whole new ideas of existence." Paypal always welcome. We pack and ship all our books with care in cardboard boxes. Additional photos emailed upon request. Sorry no overseas shipping. Seller Inventory # 12-17-14-shelf

Bibliographic Details

Title: Strandbeest: The Dream Machines of Theo ...

Publisher: Taschen

Publication Date: 2014

Binding: Hardcover

Condition: New

Dust Jacket Condition: New

Signed: Signed by Author(s)

Edition: 1st Edition

About this title

Synopsis:

<p>For seven years, photographer and artist Lena Herzog followed the evolution of a new kinetic species. Intricate as insects but with bursts of equine energy, the “Strandbeests” or “beach creatures,” are the creation of Dutch artist Theo Jansen, who has been working for nearly two decades to develop a new life-form that moves, and even survives, on its own.</p><p>Set to roam the beaches of Holland, the Strandbeests pick up the wind in their gossamer wings and spring, as if by metamorphosis, into action. As if it were blood, not the breeze, running through their delicate forms, they quiver, cavort, and trot against the sun and sea, pausing to change direction if they sense loose sand or water that might destabilize their movement.</p><p>Coinciding with a traveling exhibition, Herzog’s photographic tribute captures Jansen’s menagerie in a meditative black and white, showcasing Jansen’s imaginative vision, as well as the compelling intersection of animate and inanimate in his creatures. The result is a work of art in its own right and a mesmerizing encounter not only with a very surrealist brand of marvelous, but also with whole new ideas of existence.</p>

About the Authors:

Lawrence Weschler is Director Emeritus of the New York Institute for the Humanities at NYU. A former staff writer at The New Yorker, he is the author of over 15 books, including the Pulitzer-nominated Mr Wilson's Cabinet of Wonder and Everything That Rises: A Book of Convergences, winner of the 2007 National Book Critics Circle Award for Criticism. He is a contributing editor at Threepenny Review, The Virginia Quarterly Review, and McSweeney's.

Dutch visual artist Theo Jansen studied science at the University of Delft. He spent his early career painting, before deciding to strike out on a new course by making a real flying saucer which flew over Delft in 1980. Since then he has been working on the creation of the Strandbeest species. Jansen’s work has been featured in several television programs, as well as in The New Yorker, New Scientist, and Wired.

Lena Herzog is a multi-disciplinary artist. She studied Philosophy and Linguistics (Philology), began working primarily in the field of photography and print making since 1997. Herzog is the author of six books of photography; her work has been widely published and reviewed by The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The New Yorker, The Paris Review among many others. She is a regular contributing artist to Harper’s Magazine. Her work has been collected and exhibited in major museums and institutions around the world.
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