For those who have missed out on the resurgence of the steampunk movement of late, “steampunk” is a reimagining of the world today and the future, if things had taken a different slant during the industrial revolution. If, instead of moving toward computer and digital technology, we had continued down the path of cranks and levers, gears and the true “machine” toward alternate ends, we might have ended up with what steampunk imagines. Wikipedia explains it thus:
“Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction, alternate history, and speculative fiction that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s. Specifically, steampunk involves an era or world where steam power is still widely used—usually the 19th century and often Victorian era Britain—that incorporates prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy. Works of steampunk often feature anachronistic technology or futuristic innovations as Victorians may have envisioned them.”
It started as a literary reference, and is often credited to sci-fi author K.W. Jeter as used in the ‘80s to classify a group of authors who wrote science fiction that repurposed the ideas and styles of authors like H.G. Wells and Jules Verne. While some are rigid in their observations and creations – inner workings must often conform to standards with no trace of current technology – many steampunk enthusiasts are content to re-customize and imagine current objects with a Victorian face. Clocks and visible gears are common. Materials more often take advantage of the element of copper than silver. Pipes are worn on the outside. Proponents dress in altered Victorian couture, flight goggles, and leather (a la the Rocketeer) - not necessarily in the same outfit, though! - and create projects such as a television screen that looks like a Victorian stage complete with red velvet curtains, or an Etch a Sketch with a copper-plated face and Wellsian knobs.
Sometimes retro machines are discovered on the quest for simple machines (levers, pulleys, etc.) that display the steampunk aesthetic without any alteration, such as the Singer Slant-O-Matic, displayed by Meredith Scheff on the Steampunk Workshop blog site. According to Jake Von Slatt, the blog’s proprietor, “[W]hat we do in Steampunk is joyfully rip things out of context and re-mix them to our own desire.” I think this is an apt description of the movement’s mission, and as a neo-Victorian myself, I love to discover what the SPs are creating across the Web whenever I need a touch of inspiration. This write-up is not exhaustive and I am no expert, but I continue to be fascinated by the inner workings of this DIY movement. Check out the links below for more info. I hope to hit some of their events and Cons this year to see more of the inner sanctum.
Get in gear at some of these steampunk Web spots:
http://www.steampunk.com/
http://www.steampunkworkshop.com/
http://www.steampunkmagazine.com/
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2009/01/maker_profile_steampunk_on_make_tel.html
