What is
Steampunk ?
I often get this question when I sell my artwork and jewelry
at shows. The short answer is that Steampunk is a sub genre of
science fiction. But it is more to it then that. It started in
the 1980s, but it is just in later years that the genre got a
physical form by artists from around the world.
British curator and steampunk artist Art Donovan explains it very
well: "Essentially it's a celebration of the arts and sciences
of the Victorian era, turned into a physical form.
If the Victorians had access to all our new technologies, it would
have been done in beautiful woods, brass, rivets, and there would
be an exposed mechanical element to all of the devices."
Watch the interview with Donovan on Youtube. And learn more about Steampunk.
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The Steampunk
genre is the main inspiration when I make my 3D mixed media art
work and jewelry. An important question for many Steampunk artists
is; what if people in the 19th century had access to digital technology?
Here I try to create an answer, in my little corner of the Steampunk
world.
Since I have been working with fused dichroic glass for years,
it was natural for me to incorporate this medium in my Steampunk
art, together with circuit boards, hard drives, clock and camera
parts. One component to Steampunk art is the mechanical parts.
After all, the word Steampunk comes from "steam engine" and punk.
Robert V Harris, Bangor, Maine
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