After a successful show in Haslett I am taking the both down to Farmington, MI this Saturday. I will be at the Spooktacular Bizarre Bazaar at Off the Beaten Path Books and Cafe, a Steampunk themed venue. The last few Bizarre Bazaars have been a blast, lots of fun things to see, tasty food, good coffee (and tea). Not to mention great company and conversation.
For everyone who wonders what these people in Victorian costumes and ray guns are all about (or for those who have yet to experience the niftyness), it is Steampunk. In brief steampunk is the commingling of the past and future, technology and artistry; it embraces beauty, history, fantasy, machinery, humor, sarcasm and wit. It embraces the creative mind, intelligence and the maker spirit, those people who think and do.
In order to avoid redundancy I would like to direct you to several people and publications who have discussed the Steampunk movement in great detail.
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"Maison tournante aérienne" by Robida, Albert, 1848-1926 Depicting ne of the artist's conceptions for his book on life in the upcoming twentieth century. Source: Library of Congress digital records |
Author Paul Di Filippo, makes a call to the DIY and maker culture, in his forward to Jean Campbell's "Steampunk Style Jewelry:"
"Steampunk takes the best of [the] sentimental historical mother lode and mixes it up with postmodern influences that range from attitude to materials. We Steampunks are bricoleurs, with one foot set firmly in the Victorian Era and the other solidly planted in the twenty-first century, yoking the elegance and brio of the past with the ineluctable concerns and visons of the future."
While she focuses on jewelry creation, throughout the volume Mrs. Campell provides subsections such as "Steampunk Roots," "At the Movies," and "The Spirit of Play. While they are quick snapshots, these mini-essays are an effective introduction for those who still might not quite get it.
At "The Clockwork Century" FAQ starts with a 50 word answer to "What is Steampunk"" and moves on tosuch timeless questions such as "I must know: Why goggles?"
The Steampunk Manifesto was penned by Professor Calamity of the Catastrophone Orchestra. This eloquent call was published at the beginning of the first issue of Steampunk Magazine and is available on his live journal. I adore the manifesto because it does not shy away from the highly intellectual roots of the movement, embracing rich language and seeking to provide Steampunk framework to build on.
For an in depth publication that discusses many facets of the Steampunk movement the aptly named Steampunk Magazine is the place to go. Be aware that this London based publication takes true inspiration from the movement. It does not shy away from the "punk" portion of the name, including social commentary, but this is an essential part of the Steampunk ethos, as it provokes thought and shakes up stagnant beliefs.
Downloads of the publication are available for free on their website: http://www.steampunkmagazine.com/
And last, but not least, Jake Von Slatt of the Steampunk Workshop during his speech at Seattle’s SteamCon:"We are gathered here tonight to honor some of the folks that have made steampunk, well, whatever it is.
Ever since I tagged my first project with the word ‘steampunk’ I’ve struggled with a definition, everyone I spoke to about it who was outside of the scene suggested I needed an “elevator pitch” a short concise description of the scene.
I struggled with that for quite sometime, filled a moleskine with my musing on the subject until I came to the realization that ‘elevator pitches’ are in fact sales tools and I had no interest at all in selling steampunk, I just wanted to do steampunk.
So I stopped trying to answer the question “what is steampunk” with any more detail than ‘it has something to do with the intersection of technology and romance’.
That said, I still struggle with the question “Where’s the punk?” There are certainly DIY aspects to steampunk and crossovers with Maker culture. This is the space I live in.
There are also transgressive aspects of steampunk, and people exploring steampunk as a lens to study other peoples, times, and cultures. Of the many subcultures extant, steampunk seems to have a real desire to teach, about the past, about the future about technology and about people.
And that’s kind of subversive.
So where’s the punk? It’s right there! (points to someone in the house, Oprah style) and there! (points) and there! (points) You my friends are the punk in steampunk."
