Theo Jansen is a modern day Leonardo Da Vinci. Calling himself a Kinetic Sculptor, the dutch engineer turned artist has been creating these fantastic wind-powered creatures for the past 15 years. His Strandbeests are mechanical skeletons built entirely from lightweight plastic tubes, which allows them to be powered from the smallest breeze.

Theo Jansen (1948) studied physics at the University of Delft (The Netherlands) from 1968-1975. He left University to be - come an artist. He painted for the first seven years. In 1980 he built a flying saucer (15 ft flashing lights, beep sounds) that flew over Delft and set the town in commotion. Then he built a light sensitive spray-gun which paints an object on a surface. Since 1986 Theo Jansen has been writing a column for the Volkskrant (national newspaper). Since 1990 he has been working on a new creation: skeletons made of electric-conduits which walk on windpower. These animals have evolved into several generations over the last twelve years. Eventually he wants to put the anima Is out in herds on the beaches, where they live their own lives.

I just discovered his work as part of the recent spot created for BMW South Africa by the Ireland/Davenport agency, and a found some great videos on YouTube. The articulated skeletons remind me of some strange computer graphics wireframes, complete with kinematic joints and pivots. And speaking of CGI there is a great animation of process that make these creatures walk made by some Japanese researchers. (all videos after the break)

[via Hugg]