Since 1990, Theo Jansen has been creating large-scale, animal-like kinetic sculptures that are able to ‘walk’ when touched by the power of wind. Named Strandbeest (Dutch for ‘beach animals’) and intended as a fusion of art and engineering, the artificial life of these playful creations has a real charm in an age when AI is increasingly perceived as a threat.
Several Strandbeest have been transported to Chiba Prefectural Museum of Art for this exhibition commemorating the 150th anniversary of this seaside prefecture’s founding. One creature walks sideways at considerable speed in the direction of received wind, while another has a freely swinging tail with a suppleness that belies its construction from solid tubes.
The Strandbeest will be moving within the gallery at scheduled times each day. However, a special event at Chiba Port on Sunday December 3 will see them walk outside, against a coastal backdrop.
Text by Darren Gore