Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Sculpture: Mekanikos vs The Minotaur


Available for purchase from the artist's website. US$8,500

Dug North's Automata take wood sculptures to the next level.  Not only do they present an intriguing scene, their added motion adds a layer of storytelling to the piece.  Here, the pieces inside the cabinet add a duality to the sculpture that spark the imagination.


"Watch as The Mighty Mekanikos tests his strength against the raging Minotaur! This epic battle draws the crowds and their money in every time, but little do spectators know that the act is not what it claims to be.

My goal for this piece was to create more organic forms of motion. The minotaur figure has a ball-and-socket joint at his pelvis, which allows him to thrash about when the chains strapped to his wrists are pulled in sequence by a mechanism below.

Though it seems as if the strongman, Mekanikos, is tugging against the minotaur, in reality the monster is driving all of the strongman's many subtle motions via a hidden linkage.

The scene inside the box reveals that this sideshow is hoax. The minotaur is a fake, driven by a hidden worker cranking away below the stage. Beside him, another worker assembles a backup minotaur."

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