I read a little tidbit in Selvedge magazine that mentioned Schiffli embroidery machines and that set me off on my mechanical art tangent this week. These days most of these Schiffli machines have been computerized, but they have an old fashioned one at the Manchester Metropolitan University in England. They had this neato video on their website that shows the machine in action. It replicates what the artist/operator does in embroidery.
I thought these machines were a fun idea: Artomats! They're refurbished old cigarette vending machines with art inside. According to their website they have them all over the place.
Rebecca Horn uses simple motors to create movement in her elegant sculptures.
Jean Tingluey became well known for his drawing machines back in the 1950's.
You can find out about more artists who create mechanical artworks here
Several months ago I came across this artist Guiseppe Arcimboldo in a magazine and jotted his name down. I finally looked him up again. How awesome are these paintings?! I wonder if Jan Svankmajer was inspired by his work at all when he made his Dimensions of Dialogue shorts. Arcimboldo painted these way back in the 16th century. Read more about him and his work here.
here's a clip of Svankmajer's Dimensions of Dialogue.
