animaris excelsus
2006
Excelsus was a formidable beest in its day, able to exert a force a hundred times its weight. It had brains, a wind stomach, a winch structure, wheels, and even a hammer that it used to secure itself to the beach. The cause of this beest’s extinction is the subject of debate, but some wonder if the wheels were to blame: Have you ever ridden a bicycle in soft sand?
Strandbeest: The Dream Machines of Theo Jansen was organized by the Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA. Audemars Piguet provided generous support as the tour's National Sponsor. This exhibition was supported as part of the Dutch Culture USA program by the Consulate General of the Netherlands in New York. ABC7 was the exhibition’s local media sponsor with additional support from SFGATE and the San Francisco Chronicle.
