This weekend while visiting Lucerne, Switzerland we visited a beautiful clock tower that allowed you to view all of the inner workings of a giant clock dating back to 1535. The intricacy off all the gears and clock workings could not help but bring to mind the current trend we have come to know as Steam Punk. Steam Punk design stems from a literary genre which depicts a post apocalyptic return to the technology of the industrial revolution, primarily steam power. In essence, what would happen if the past happened in the future.
While the term steam punk has only recently become main stream the design idea behind it is not new to me. Many (many) years ago my very first job was working as an intern for Thomas Mann an artist and jewelry designer based out of New Orleans, La. He describes his work as “Techno Romantic, it represents the connection between humans and technology.” This is a theme Mann has been representing since 1988. Now almost 30 years I am seeing his intricate design style of found objects and mechanical part almost everywhere, being categorized as Steam Punk.
As a young artist I was amazed by these designs and today as there intricacy increases I am even more intrigued. Steam punk design has crept into everything from fashion to furniture and is taking Esty by storm. Whether it is your style or not I don’t think anyone can argue the thoughtfulness of the design.
What do you think? Are you a Steam Punk fan?
