Nearness

Making complex and ultimately pointless machines to accomplish minor tasks has origins in the hypothetical machines of Rube Goldberg and Heath Robinson (and, of course, Professor Branestawm).


In the realm of the physical, the origin of the modern-day Rube Goldberg device grows from these drawings and from, I suppose, complex systems like the increasingly ludicrous attempts to make world record attempts for continuous domino runs less tedious.


Fischli and Weiss defined the genre in the early going with The Way Things Go - a lengthy game of physics which, let's say, may have in some small way inspired Wieden and Kennedy's hugely popular advert for the Honda Accord, Cog.


These devices are a popular online video sharing phenomenon, as they are usually made up from common household objects and provide creativity bragging rights. One of the best, Contraption, was made by Baynham and Tyers; Ben Tyers went on to make a large-scale device for Punchdrunk's Tunnel 228 exhibition, called (thematically consistently) The Machine.


Timo Allarn of the Touch project and Jack Schulze of Berg have collaborated on a new twist on the model -starting with an Oyster card, London's RFID-enabled transport pass, the interactions are created by proximity rather than touch. Smoother and less analogue than the clunky, funky mechanical devices, it's oddly fascinating to watch.


...and, by the time I actually get around to posting this, all over the web. Ho hum. Sorry about that, but if there's one person left who hasn't seen it, it's interesting!