Scenic Steam
Scribed by Justin Engles -
Xerposa
| All Things Steampunk
When I first saw these images I thought they had to be digital paintings or video game concept art. But these industrial beauties are the real deal.
Photographer Phil Pantano has two amazing series of photographs depicting the Col. Ward Pump Station in Buffalo, New York. The steam pumps were used to deliver water to the city of Buffalo in the early 1900s. The massive pumps are five stories tall.
Pantano writes that “the building’s expansive interior is breathtaking. It’s the size of several football fields and has a 90′ peak. Brass railings and steel staircases are prominent, along with a series of turn-of-the-century light posts. There are just 8 massive steam engines like this left in the world and 5 are here.”
Stranger Danger
Scribed by Justin Engles -
Based on the 1920 classic German film Caligari by Robert Wiene, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is a multimedia production involving dance, music, circus arts, and projections.
Performed by the Astra Dance Company, the show draws from silent films, acrobatics, and dance in order to retell the darkly surreal tale of carnival hypnotist Dr. Caligari and his prophetic somnambulist Cesare.
Artistic Director David Wilkinson describes the production as a “suspenseful tale of science, madness, love and murder at the turn of the century,” (you know, the usual feel-good family formula). The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari runs until October 6th at the El Portal Theatre October in Hollywood, California. Tickets $20-$40.
Not Remotely Steampunk
Scribed by Justin Engles -
There is usually a healthy amount of flexibility when it comes to defining the steampunk aesthetic. But sometimes, certain things just aren’t steampunk— a dress does not become steampunk just because the model is holding a crossbow, a curly moustache does not make someone a time-traveller, and your busted-up 1966 Toyota Corona is most definitely not “steampunk-inspired.”
The fine folks at Regretsy have compiled a thread of things that are “Not Remotely Steampunk.” Regretsy is the site “where DIY meets WTF,” a compendium of crafting failures drawn from the worst that Etsy has to offer. Bravo Regretsy, Bravo.