Windwalkers Theo Jansen

Where Science and Art Collide in Radiant Creation

Denise Thong
Sep 4, 2018 · 5 min read

Introduction

A couple of years ago, I stumbled upon a ‘Strandbeest’ video on my Facebook feed — videos of PVC sculptures moving across the beach driven entirely by the wind.

Indeed, their movements have been described as ‘eerily animal like’; More creature than robot. Before my encounter with the Strandbeests, I have never had an interest in engineering. This was a game changer for me.

The Strandbeests are created by the ingenious Theo Jansen, who very rightly named them Strandbeests (i.e. beach animals). He almost exclusively refers to these creations with the lexicon of animals using the biological terms such as ‘cells’, ‘extinction’, ‘evolution’ and ‘reproduction’.

It was to my intense delight when the Strandbeest exhibition finally made its way to tiny little Singapore. After weeks of nagging, I finally convinced my husband to visit the exhibition with me. It was amazing.

Below are some photos and descriptions of the exhibition which will be on till the end of Sept 2018.

The Wind Walkers Exhibition at Singapore’s ArtScience Museum

The Strandbeest that is able to retreat from shallow waters by moving sideways.

Of all the exhibits, I found this particular Strandbeest most impressive. It was created with the ability to escape shallow waters by moving sideways. When one of the valves detect shallow waters, it triggers the release of several catches that causes the Strandbeest to retreat sideways.

During the reanimation session (i.e. when they move the structure by pumping air through it), this Strandbeest actually marched sideways in a fairly fast pace across the museum floor. It was a majestic sight to behold.

While it is true that it can be difficult to impress the modern man, one consider the fact that none of these Strandbeests are electrically operated. That should turn on your ‘Wow’ button.

The latest evolution of the Strandbeest — The Uminami

Above is a photograph of the Uminami (i.e. big wave). It is created to resemble somewhat of a worm/caterpillar without legs. Being shorter, it has a lower center of gravity and is less likely to topple over in the presence of heavy wind. It is also able to move across uneven terrains.

Here is an interesting nugget — There is a chance that Theo Jansen will be working with NASA to incorporate some of this engineering genius into NASA’s new planet exploratory Rovers. HOW COOL IS THAT?

Notably, the above Strandbeests need to be pulled by hand but you can watch a video here of an Uminami (i.e. with sails) that is powered entirely by the wind.

The Twins

I liked this Strandbeest as it is called the twins and Yes, I am half of a twin. It is also quite significant in size and hence, very impressive.

Of note, its large size is also its kryptonite. Being so large, it had a very short life span on the beach (i.e. it toppled over) and had to be retired to the Strandbeest graveyard shortly after it was created.

Nonetheless, it was a great engineering feat, like all the other Strandbeests. Kudos to Theo Jansen.

Backyard Hobby

Did I mention that all of these Strandbeests were created using readily available and affordable materials (i.e. PVC tubes, cable ties). Like my husband said — it is some man’s backyard hobby. In my opinion, he nailed it.

And that was one the factors that really impressed me. In this modern day and age (where electricity is so rampant), how can a man be so passionate about his craft that he is willing to invest so much time and energy into developing structures that are not powered by electricity?

Indeed, Theo Jansen is a visionary. His Strandbeests display an alternate yet organic form of movement that is all at once elegant and grotesque.

If I were to visit the Netherlands and serendipitously stumbled upon one of these majestic structures moving across the beach, I am sure to be filled with awe and fear. Is it a monster? Is it a moving sculpture? It is some skeleton of a prehistoric beast that has been reanimated by the wind?

Where Art and Science Collide

“The walls between art and engineering exist only in our minds.” Theo Jansen

A quick google supplied me with more information of Theo Jansen. He studied Physics at the Delft University Technology, left without a degree and pursued the Arts. A unique individual indeed, delving passionately into both the Arts and Sciences.

Due to the Singaporean educational system, it is common for many Singaporeans to benchmark ourselves and others into the ‘Arts Stream’ or the ‘Science Stream’. We often characterise the former as romantic, creative and emotional and the latter as logical, practical and somewhat emotionally repressed.

Indeed, the presence of people like Theo Jansen presents good evidence that the human mind is far more complex than one can imagine. A person can be both artsy and sciencey. The arts and science need not be in conflict with each other. In fact, one look at the Strandbeests will convince you they are complimentary in the most spectacular way.

On a self-indulgent note, some of you may know that I am trained in the Sciences. Since young, I have been in the Science stream. Even today, my training is in the field of the Nutritional Sciences. Nonetheless, most of my writings discuss morality and religion. I have always had a strong affinity to these topics though I have never allowed myself to pursue them academically.

Perhaps, this is the underlying reason why I was so drawn to ‘beach animals’. Perhaps they are ‘living’ reminders of how radiant human creation can be when the Arts and Sciences collide.

Final Words

The Strandbeests exhibition will be around (in Singapore) for another month or so. If possible, find time to visit the ArtScience Museum and view these wonderful feats of engineering with your own eyes. Finally, do share your thoughts with me in the comments section below. God bless!

Denise Thong

Written by

Writer in Christianity and Morality

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