Steampunk Brazil Computer, I want one.
June 21st, 2007 by Frank
Oh my god. it’s beautiful and I want one.
I found this after following a link in an article about a Werewolf Hunting Kit on Boing Boing. I normally stay well away from Boing Boing for inspiration, you all read it anyway, but this was too incredible to pass up.
it’s made by Andrew Leman and it’s a a working computer (a mac) based on the computers in Tery Gilliam’s Brazil.
“Despite the ridiculous amount of abuse I subjected it to,” Leman says, “and despite the fact that all its components are now exposed to the air, the 1988 Macintosh SE which forms the heart of this piece still works just fine.” The typewriter is a 1923 Underwood, and that’s a working Fresnel lens that can be pulled down over the screen, something early Macs really could have used.
According to Wikipedia, Steampunk is a “subgenre of fantasy and speculative fiction which came into prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. The term denotes works set in an era or world where steam power is still widely used—usually the 19th century, and often set in Victorian era England—but with prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy”, and Steampunk objects “employ appropriate materials (such as polished brass) with design elements and craftsmanship consistent with the Victorian era.”
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June 21st, 2007 at 2:13 pm
You would be forgiven for thinking so…but no, steampunk doesn’t do it for me. It’s post holocaust mend and make do aesthetic produces some funky items but …I’m struggling to find a way to put this…it’s a pessimistic defeated sort of design, it lacks integrity ,essence, innovation. The resultant objects are less than the sum of their parts.
I think it’s what somebody produces when they want what I want from a product but don’t have the vision, talent, resources, tenacity (delete as appropriate) to produce it. Not sure I have either but I refuse to give up.
I need to explain myself further which now that you’ve outed my lazy blog I should do there !
If you like it that much though we should make you one…..I’m sure I seen an old Mac SE lying around in your house one of the days…It’s either that or it’s fated to be a fish tank !
http://www.theapplecollection.com/Collection/MacAquarium/IgorMusial.shtml
June 21st, 2007 at 2:32 pm
Interesting – I’d have to disagree that it lacks integrity, essence, innovation – it’s integrity is to itself, and it’s essence is that very integrity… in other words the object is in one way precisely the sum of it’s parts but due to context and artistic choice it becomes more than that, allowing me to say that while it references past eras and others artistic visions, it is still innovative.
I’m not sure any of that made sense.
June 21st, 2007 at 3:41 pm
I’m talking design, your talking arse,I mean art….!!
June 21st, 2007 at 4:07 pm
June 22nd, 2007 at 6:11 pm
[...] Well, it’s not the Brazil computer, but these steampunk workshops will show you how to make a Steampunk keyboard and monitor. [...]
November 29th, 2007 at 2:41 pm
[...] Originally Posted by Stuart M In the vague hope that someone, somewhere, has produced a computer based on the design in Terry Gilliam’s Brazil, I had a search. Found this bit of steampunk – not as glam as those above, but still fun. Ooo! Ooo! Only one Google page later, I found it! __________________ My blipfotos [...]