A Copper Alliance Member
Copper in the Arts
Issue #32: December '09
The Brass Tacks of Steampunk
Jake von Slatt's desktop PC mod is an example of steampunk design,
featuring brass, marble and a keyboard modified with typewriter keys.Photograph courtesy of Jake von Slatt
A tongue-in-cheek corner of the “cyberpunk” universe, “steampunk” is a subculture that arose in the late 1980s to denote artwork—primarily sci-fi fiction at first—inspired by the Victorian period that sowed the seeds of invention for the industrial era. In the past four years, inventors have been bringing this little bit of sci-fi to life, sending word of their reactions out to the blog-happy masses.
One such posterboy of the steampunk world, who goes by Datamancer, is best recognized for his modifications of desktop computers, bass amps and keyboards outfitted with Underwood typewriter keys. He’s transformed entire desktop PC setups—from the brass LCD plate to the refurbished armchair—to look like they fit in a world of gaslight and brass goggles.
“Historically,” says Datamancer, “the Victorian ‘gentleman’—i.e. anyone wealthy enough to not actually need to work for a living—was expected to have several DIY intellectual pursuits, lest he be labeled an idle lay-about.” They had money and the time to build, make and innovate, and thrust amazing inventions into the public realm that influenced the modern computer and propelled the Industrial Revolution. A romantic story, no?
Steampunk fans seem to think so. Modern-day inventors are embracing this earnest time in history, mixing a strong sense of nostalgia with the rods, gears, belts and brass—often incorporating technology. Also described as “Neo-Victorianism,” steampunk gadgeteers marry Victorian aesthetic principles with modern sensibilities and technologies, complementing them with an array of Victorian-era fiction, art and utilitarian objects, many made of copper or brass.
Steampunk Laptop by Datamancer Photograph courtesy of Datamancer
Datamancer believes the common DIY sensibility among those in the steampunk community is the glue that binds them together. There is a sense of eagerness among the community to open-source the design methods, with most of the design processes boldly displayed on the inventor’s website with step-by-step commentary with photographs to guide the novice along.
Having also redesigned classic cars, antique furniture, lamps and iPods, Datamancer is not one to rest on his laurels. He is supremely auto-didactic, and appreciates the accessibility of the technology in the 1800s, which consisted primarily of steam engines, rods, belts and gears. In his childhood he fabricated his own custom toys from foil, toothpicks and LED lights. Now he continues to work with several components at once, often electrics, wood, copper and brass. Although his creations look anything but simple, he loves the idea that machines can be traced out by eye as opposed to the coded technology in machines and computers today. “[It] is a lot more direct and intimate connection with the machine than looking at an Integrated Circuit or microprocessor and trying to guess what sort of code might be buried inside,” he says.
His approach to good design is thoughtful, and he asserts that aesthetic elements should be functional as much as they are beautiful. While other builders may add pipes, rods and copper assemblage art to an object and then call it steampunk, Datamancer’s designs are planned around the functional psychology of a device.
A close-up of Jake von Slatt's desktop pc mod and its hand-decorated brass elements along the base of the computer monitor. Photographer courtesy of Jake von Slatt
The “functional while beautiful” design concept extends to the use of brass and copper in steampunk circles. Jake von Slatt, another prolific steampunk contraptor who specializes in brass-plated PC mods and copper and brass etchings, echoes affinity for brass and calls it “blue collar gold.”
Datamancer agrees. “The cupreous metals are structurally rugged, thermally and electrically conductive, tarnish-resistant, anti-microbial, non-sparking, and friction-resistant,” he explains with a flourish. He incorporates these metals into most of his designs because they are historically relevant, easy to work by hand and offer a structural element that “is attractive enough to stand on [its] own.”
A copper electroplated etching on a found
object--an Altoids tin--by Jake von Slatt.Photograph courtesy of Jake von Slatt
Although all the elements usually desired in a laptop—lightweight, portable, able to take a few hard knocks—are lost in his modification, it has gained an element of whimsy. He incubated months for the project, planning each detail before setting mind to matter. “Rather than trying to reinvent the device,” Datamancer explains, “I merely tried to imagine what it would look like if the same device were built in the Victorian era, with all accompanying pomp and embellishment.”
His current project involves one of the two best-loved personalities in steampunk, Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace. Credited as the inventors of the first mechanical computers, they birthed the original concepts for the functions of the modern computer; The Analytical Engine, the latter of the two they designed, had the ability to program and store numbers for use in calculations. Although it was never built during their lifetimes, “it was wildly ambitious,” Datamancer says, “and is the quintessential steampunk contraption aesthetically and conceptually.” His latest PC, nicknamed “The Clacker,” is inspired by the 3-ton brass machine of finely interwoven cogs, gears, rollers and levers. Datamancer is making this his most ambitious project as well, featuring a bristling array of spinning brass machinery visible through a curved glass panel. The entire PC-mod will include a leather-topped table, antique phonograph horn with PC speakers.
Datamancer with his prototype of the project inspired by the Charles Babbage Analytical Engine, the "Clacker".Photograph courtesy of Datamancer
It’s hard to say what the future of steampunk may hold. Some say it may go the way of punk, skater, goth or rockabilly masquerading as a subculture that has, in actuality, become mainsteam. But Datamancer hopes steampunk won’t lose its original core ideals. “I really hope that some of the DIY spirit remains…because I really think that’s the bonding element that makes it such a beautiful community.”
Also in this Issue:
- EVENTS:
A listing of upcoming events in the arts featuring copper and related materials, or highlighting artisans who work with the materials.
