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Steampunk is a kind of speculative fiction that usually takes place in urban settings where the future meets the past: Victorian era inventions clash with often dark alternate realities. However, what started as a literary genre has since evolved into an amazing urban art form with incredible real-life inventions, modifications and redesigns. The following is an introduction to the art of Steampunk, with everything from altered guitars to a Steampunked iPod.
In Steampunk literature, the living computers and flying cars of science fiction are typically replaced by hulking steam-powered machines and floating dirigibles. Moreover, the art of design in these future-past visions reflects the ultimate integration of form and function epitomized during the periods being referenced: where even gears and buttons on an archaic machine were beautifully crafted. Shown above are three amazing modifications of contemporary technologies to fit the aesthetic of the Steampunk era: the Villianizer, a re-engineered Stratocaster and a Vespa.
Like Goth, steampunk draws on elements of Victorian dress. Like Cyberpunk, there is an emphasis on the technology and culture of the material world as shown through and alternate present or future. Beyond those, however, there is a kind of celebration of the more elemental and tangible science and technology of periods prior to our present computer age. However, some of the most amazing Steampunk redesigns combine these two eras and involve modifications of computer monitors or even entire laptop computers.
One of the most amazing feats of Steampunk art and engineering is the Steampunk Tree House, constructed for the Burning Man Arts Festival. This fully-functional interactive art pieces was one of the highlights of this year’s Burning Man Festival, lit up spectacularly at night and able to withstand strong daytime winds as shown in the above photographs.
Steampunk ideas have also increasingly been retroactively applied to existing cult classics. Perhaps the most notable of these is Star Wars. Shown above is one of a series of Star Wars themed Steampunk renderings depicting, in this case, the Death Star reimagined for the Star Wars universe. Other artists have created tangible works such as a Star Wars Steampunk light saber made from old radio parts and evening a functioning R2D2 Steampunk robot. Some clever individuals even scripted and filmed a hilarious Star Trek parody set to a Steampunk theme and complete with archaic cinematography and a fitting musical score:
Next: More Creative Steampunk Designs
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39 Comments
November 11th, 2007 at 5:08 pm
Nice post. Steampunk is an area/subculture I never really explored, but thanks to the net it has become easier to dip into subcultures like this.
November 11th, 2007 at 10:10 pm
Steampunk always reminds me of this video game I used to play all the time when I was a kid…it was called Chrono Trigger, and it was all about time travel and saving the world and all of the kooky fantastical things that good video games used to be about. Anyway, they are good memories; thanks for triggering them. ;-)
November 11th, 2007 at 10:10 pm
Oh man, totally didn’t intend for that to be a pun. Sooo sorry.
November 11th, 2007 at 10:28 pm
Now I need to figure out how to get my hands on a steampunk computer.
November 12th, 2007 at 9:49 am
great post mate.
it’s all new to me.
November 12th, 2007 at 10:31 am
I really like the steampunk laptop. Imagine you go to a business meeting with this… And you say to them that that was you grand-grand-father’s laptop :D
November 12th, 2007 at 12:59 pm
Form follows function. My problem with most of these devices, including the guitars etc, is that the steampunkism is primarily decorative. It is in no way functional and as such is pure window dressing. Interesting window dressing, but let us see some hackery.
November 12th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
It would have been better if you put a electric motor in R2D2
November 12th, 2007 at 1:54 pm
That computer is awesome!
November 12th, 2007 at 2:40 pm
I’m surprised they don’t already have a steampunk computer box on the market.
Maybe one of the modders out there will get some ideas. hmmm…..
November 13th, 2007 at 4:22 am
I really liked the guitars.
November 18th, 2007 at 4:19 pm
steampunk is “retro-inovative” ,inspiring.although there may be much to steampunkuate from the victorian period,why limit oneself to a single time frame? we do possess the flux capacitor do we not? ANY frame is applicable no? set the time circuts clear the runway and watch that reentry .it gets a little bumpy!
January 4th, 2008 at 5:22 am
Ìà Ãäà âîæêà åáà òü )
January 4th, 2008 at 5:29 am
Hi? i thin it easy
June 17th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
That’s not, nor was it ever, a stratocaster.
June 17th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
WOW that laptop is simply stunning. I would very much enjoy having that on my desk!
June 17th, 2008 at 10:35 pm
For some reason I find steampunk immensely fascinating. I hope they’ll make more movies and games with it, or books, or comics. Hell, I just want more steampunk :)
June 18th, 2008 at 1:01 am
If you like this sort of thing, read the Mortal Engines quartet by Philip Reeve. They are technically books for young adults but I read them last year (when i was 24) and loved them. They use a lot of this steampunk idea, big machinery rather than futuristic technology. And lots of steam!
June 18th, 2008 at 1:40 am
This always reminds me of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang or the Gene Wilder version of Willie Wonka. There is something about that sensibility that appeals to me.
June 18th, 2008 at 9:16 am
Steampunk reminds me of the movie Waterworld and the Universal Studios show. Is there some type of connection or inspiration from that?
June 18th, 2008 at 9:17 am
Excellent selection!
June 18th, 2008 at 10:22 am
reminds me of this door.
http://barlowdoor.homestead.co.....rsopen.jpg
July 10th, 2008 at 11:40 am
Wow! I love it! I have to be part of the whole steampunk movement. I love anything victorian, gothic, bohemian, and ‘rock n roll”! this suits me pefectly, because I am a retroist!
October 30th, 2008 at 3:17 am
It’s fantastic to create difrent reality. The industrial tree house is the best. Similar to tree houses in Kulturinsel in east Germany
December 14th, 2008 at 8:49 am
@ Myk
Loosely, Myk… Waterworld should also remind you of the Mad Max movies (esp. Thunderdome), what do both of these movies have in common? Two things. They are both, dystopian post-apocalyptic settings. Which due to the apocalypse of each movie, people generally must rely on primative (internal combustion, hydraulic, pneumatic) technology and ways of life, but yet it’s the future. Sound familiar? (see first sentence of the post) So, my guess is that it’s more this juxtaposition of technology and primativism that makes you think there is a link, rather than the movie’s writer/director actually drawing from steampunk culture, which tends to be more utopian and high-fantasy with not so much internal combustion (oil) but rather thermal (conductive/convective via burning coal) energy generation.
May 21st, 2009 at 11:57 pm
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