Giant hand-cranked music box serves as street art in Cincinnati

Here is some really nifty street art in Cincinnati, Ohio!

From the project web site:

Here is a short video showing our Spinnradl sculptures in action in Cincinnati. The video features two songs on two nearly identical sculptures, sited about a block apart from each other along Pendleton Street. The songs are played by turning a crank, which spins a large cylinder that triggers an analog music box. Turning the crank also powers a pulsing, radial Moire animation on either end of the sculpture’s housing. Each song lasts about thirty seconds when spun at the optimal speed, and repeats as long as the crank is continually turned.

Here is the project web site where you can see more pictures and read more about the development of the Spinnradl.

Thanks Steve & Jere!

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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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