As promised, a look at one of the Fantastic Contraption artists, Stephane Halleux. Stephane is a Belgian artist specializing in mixed media sculpture. There’s an outstanding amount of labor that goes into each of his almost cognizant creatures, from the beginning stages of acquiring found objects to sketch concepts to actual construction. Here’s more about what Stephane does, in his own words:
I like crazy mixtures, unlikely associations, advanced technology mixed with mechanisms of long ago. I’ve always been fascinated by robotics, its advantages and contradictions. The importance of robotisation and its increasing influence on mankind. Who never dreamt of owning a robot able to do the dirty work. But where are the bounds? How far is a robot useful to men and when does it begin endangering their life ? That’s what I want to make: caricatures of robots that have gone beyond the limits, all that with a fanciful vision of the future. The future we imagined some years ago: big computers full of cables with warning lights everywhere. That’s what I like: an old fashioned universe’s future.
A few more of my favorite images, beyond the jump.
June 30th, 2008 at 7:34 am
These are fantastic… they look like creatures from a beautiful movie! Very mechanical and creeeeeeeepy!
xox
daynadesastre
June 30th, 2008 at 8:07 am
it looks like edward gorey’s drawings come to life!
June 30th, 2008 at 9:34 am
Pure love.
June 30th, 2008 at 10:26 am
All of these need to be part of an epic stop motion animated movie.
June 30th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
I agree with Dayna up there–these guys instantly reminded me of characters from The Mysterious Geographic Adventures of Jasper Morello!
But that mosquito-sculpture just takes the cake.
July 1st, 2008 at 6:47 am
Jon, I couldn’t agree more. I wonder if anything of the sort is in the works!
July 1st, 2008 at 7:09 pm
Yes indeedy!
July 3rd, 2008 at 4:22 am
Oh my god, I love the bees! They’re so dainty, in their alien way. LOVE.
June 16th, 2009 at 8:39 pm
[...] “I like crazy mixtures, unlikely associations, advanced technology mixed with mechanisms of long ago. I’ve always been fascinated by robotics, its advantages and contradictions. The importance of robotisation and its increasing influence on mankind. Who never dreamt of owning a robot able to do the dirty work. But where are the bounds? How far is a robot useful to men and when does it begin endangering their life ? That’s what I want to make: caricatures of robots that have gone beyond the limits, all that with a fanciful vision of the future. The future we imagined some years ago: big computers full of cables with warning lights everywhere. That’s what I like: an old fashioned universe’s future.” -Stephane Halleux via [...]