According to the Oxford English Dictionary, machine is ‘an apparatus using mechanical power and having several parts, each with a definite function and together performing a particular task.’ What happens however, if a meticulously devised machine happens to perform a task of a rather
indeterminate nature and is seemingly devoid of the aforementioned ‘definite function’ altogether? Well, it could either be a poorly engineered device, or the good old Rube Goldberg machine, whose most recent rendition by a Brooklyn-based kinetic artist Joseph Herscher has caught our attention. In the 2.08-minute clip, which has been watched by more than 5 million YouTube viewers since late December 2011, Joseph is seen seating by a table, ready to enjoy a perusal of a daily newspaper. Then he takes a sip of coffee…
And here, in three installments, another Rube Goldberg machine, as reinterpreted by the renowned
Zurich-based contemporary artist duo Fischli Weiss titled ‘Der Lauf der Dinge.’
‘Der Lauf der Dinge’ – Part 1
‘Der Lauf der Dinge’ – Part 2
‘Der Lauf der Dinge’ – Part 3
