Antique automata from The Toys & Automata Museum in Verdú

When I posted the other day about the Toc de Fusta's kinetic street art installation, I mentioned that it took place at the closing event held at the Museu de Joguets | Autòmats (Toys and Automata Museum) in the Catalan city of Verdú. Sadly the museum closed its doors this past January. Hopefully, their collection will find a suitable new home. More news on that later. In the meantime, enjoy this short film showing the many fine Golden Age automata once on display at the museum.

Here is a link to the Museu de Joguets | Autòmats (Toys and Automata Museum).

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Clever interactive street art makes people look like marionettes controlled by giant hands

I posted a few days about Toc de Fusta's interactive street installation in Catalan city of Verdú. Recently, another group in the area known as Itinerania also did an installation of interactive kinetic art called Titeretú.

The installation consists of five giant hands. An audience member uses the controls attached to one of the hands to play a small mechanical game mounted to the hand's platform. Meanwhile, the giant hand above moves as if controlling the person like a marionette. The clever installation forces us to question who is controlling who. Is the hand controlling the person? Is the person controlling the game? Is the game, ultimately, controlling the hand? It all depends on your point of view. [ Thanks Alfred ]

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Toc de Fusta hosts an interactive street installation with large-scale automata, puzzles & games

I recently heard from Albert, Laura and Alfred of Toc de Fusta. They recorded a video of their lastest project -- an interactive street installation with large-scale automata, puzzles, and games for all ages. The video was filmed at closing event held at the Museu de Joguets | Autòmats (Toys and Automata Museum), in the Catalan city of Verdú. Sadly the museum closed its doors this past January. Hopefully, their collection will find a suitable new home.

It looks like it was a lot of fun. The children's faces tell the story. I wish I could have been there!

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