Man with the Wind

Theo Jansen,

Dutch artist with a background of science.

He has been evolving a series of wind powered animals

made of plastic tubes(beach animals)

for the past 15 years.

Theo Jansen received the Jury's Special Price in the Interactive Art category at

Ars Electronica Festival 2005.

A science teacher inspired him to take science in college.

In 1979,

Theo Jansen created a UFO,

a flying saucer.

The first beach animal he created didnt have strong joints. One night he had a vision about principle of its feet. He then based on simple PCV tubes and built a computer model. After several months, he found the right proportion between the lengths of the tubes.

The philosophical ideas have grown more complete with the years.

Thoe Jansen didnt try to immitate animals. He just wanted to create something new.

A computer addict he was but figures out to invent something with the wind.

He says,

"When the weather is beautiful,

I thought it will be a waste of time to sit infront of the computer"

He likes the rain and storm alot.

Maybe people miss being close to nature. That is probably why they recognize his fun and want to be a part of it. He can be fascinated with very little things. The clouds stimulate his imagination and sometimes, just sit somewhere and go on dreaming for a long time. Your head is also a computer. When you're dreaming you are simulating a world in which you are living. During the night, it's a dream you can't control and during the day it's more like a second life in your head. It's all interpretations of the real world.