Steam Punk!
Apologies to readers and the Kew Bridge Steam Museum alike for writing this the day before the end of the museum’s steam punk exhibition, which has been running the past few months. But if you’re quick, you can make it down there today or tomorrow. Engines will be in steam on both days and KBSM is one of those enlightened museums that gives you an annual ticket (£9).
Steam punk is the combining of old and new technologies and artefacts to create an artform that can be illustrations, costumes or jewellery, but mainly sculpture. Mostly it’s about using recycled objects, but some enthusiasts appear to create bits themselves from scratch, typically in brass. If you are familiar with my favourite movie – Terry Gilliam’s Brazil, with its computers comprising old telly screens, typewriter keyboards and tons of ducts – you’ll know what steam punk is about. Anyway, here are some pictures.
In order not to lose sight of what Kew Bridge Steam Museum is really all about, here’s the wonderful Hathorn-Davey engine in full chug.
I went to a conference last year and heard Dr Brigid Cherry and Dr Maria Mellins give a paper about ‘Steampunk Vampire: The diffusion of steampunk style across the campire community’ – very interesting.
Thanks. I wonder it’s officially Steampunk or Steam Punk. I’ve gone with two words, probably erroneously.
Sorry, that should be Vampire not Campire!
Isn’t that funny, I read it as “vampire” anyway, else I would have corrected it for you. Brain tricks.
Would love to visit the Museum if I had the chance. Recently been researching on history of science and technology, and steampunk is one of the most intriguing aspects – what we know of as anachronism crossed with futuristic insights. Very interesting, thanks for the pictures!