In certain circles, the term “Maker” has come to mean “do-it-yourself enthusiast.” And NYC Makers, the biennial show at the Museum of Arts and Design, does feature a few projects that would look right at home in a dedicated hackerspace.
But at MAD, the definition of a maker has expanded to include artists, artisans, and more. In one room, sculptures sit side-by-side with a shipping box specially designed to protect delicate objects during transit. Scratch-and-sniff wallpaper adorns the stairwells, and security guards wear knitted vests designed by a fashion house. Other featured pieces include moonshine, huge blown-glass terrariums, podcast episodes, and even a room decorated as a “nightclub environment.”
If you’re looking for the type of DIY projects you might find at MakerFaire, NYC Makers may disappoint. However, it does showcase the astonishing variety of stuff that New Yorkers are creating every day. And if you want to skip the entry fee, check out the DIY-flavored pieces in this gallery of photos. _NYC Makers _runs until October 12.
Bitty Synth
The modules created by littleBits can be combined to form a variety of electronics projects—including the turntable-based synthesizer shown here.
Power To The Prototype
In an emergency, the Power Clip lets people draw electricity from vehicle batteries. This prototype of the device, created by Robin Reid, Surya Mattu, Phil Groman, and Federico Zannier, earned a spot in the MAD show to demonstrate the value of prototyping, and “the empowering dimension of new design.”
The Artful Theremin
François Chambard’s Pink Perch is one of twelve beautifully designed theremins created for the UM Project’s Odd Harmonics show. By changing the positions of their hands, skilled players can draw unearthly electronic music (and unskilled ones can evoke unseemly electronic howls) from a theremin without ever touching the instrument directly.
Candles On Command
Jeremy Chernick of J&M Special Effects created this candelabrum for a 2013 production of The Glass Menagerie. The prop is both portable (it can be lifted and carried about) and controllable (the touch of a button ignites or extinguishes its butane-fueled candles).
Hear Where You Are
Aisen Caro Chacin likes to play with human perception, crafting items such as Scent Rhythm, a watch that tells the time through perfume, and Play-A-Grill, an electronic mouthpiece that uses bone conduction to transmit music through the teeth. Along with these items, the MAD show also featured this head-enveloping device designed to give its wearer the power of echolocation.
Pencil And Ink
Aisen Caro Chacin likes to play with human perception, crafting items such as Scent Rhythm, a watch that tells the time through perfume, and Play-A-Grill, an electronic mouthpiece that uses bone conduction to transmit music through the teeth. Along with these items, the MAD show also featured a head-enveloping device designed to give its wearer the power of echolocation.
Raptor Rapture
When peering at dinosaur bones, few people consider the care that went into their display. But skilled mount makers like Richard Webber spend a lot of time making sure ancient remains—like this velociraptor—look their best.
Blowing Your Mind
Ryan Matthew Cohn adds artistry to anatomy. He dissected this human skull into 12 parts, then reassembled it to create a cross between a model skull and a sculpture.
