'Steampunk: Contraptions + Devices Extraordinaire'

By Eileen Casey

'Steampunk: Contraptions + Devices Extraordinaire' - Inspired by the Victorian Sciences will be held at the Oxford Museum of the History of Science, U.K. Image courtesy of Art Donovan

Southampton - Art and Leslie Donovan of Donovan Design have announced 'Steampunk: Contraptions + Devices Extraordinaire' - Inspired by the Victorian Sciences to be held at the Oxford Museum of the History of Science, U.K. from October 13, 2009 to February 21, 2010.

This event is being presenting by Oxford's Museum Director, Dr. Jim Bennett and Curator Art Donovan. Dr. Bennett is the director of the University of Oxford's Museum of History & Science, and Donovan is a designer who pioneered last year's extraordinary and wildly successful Steampunk exhibit in Bridgehampton.

The museum exhibition of Steampunk art will feature the works of the world's foremost artists of the Steampunk genre, featured exclusively at Oxford's MHS for the very first time.

Donovan has invited artists from the United States, Belgium, Japan, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia to display their exclusive, contemporary collection of sculptural art and design - all inspired by the inventions and authors of the Victorian era and created solely for this exhibit.

Some participating artists included are Eric Freitas, Jos De Vink, Jesse Newhouse, Herr Doktor, Kris Kuski, Tom Banwell, Datamancer, Dr. Grymm, Molly Friedrich, Daniel Proulx, Mad Uncle Cliff, Haruo Suekichi, Amanda Scrivner and Thomas Willeford, Stephane Halleux, James Richardson Brown and Art Donovan.

Oxford, the oldest university and museum in the western world, is renowned for housing the most comprehensive and historically important collection of scientific objects of the academic community in its Ashmolean Building. With the Ashmolean building serving as the backdrop, this exhibition combines the historical with the
contemporary and promises to be the most ambitious and dramatic Steampunk art collection ever assembled in one venue.

Donovan will be conducting a curator's tour during the opening and presenting a formal lecture to accommodate the University students after the holiday break. Select pieces will be available for purchase.

• To learn more visit the following website at www.steampunkmuseumexhibition.blogspot.com, or email at donovandesign@optonline.net; or or email at ltdonovan@optonline.net, or call 631-283-8175 or 631-875-4303.