Steampunk Live! : A Retrofuturist Dream

Steampunk is building steam. Its DIY projects are featured on YouTube and Burning Man is alight with steampunk-inspired art. Even the mainstream media is catching on. But what is this whimsical phenomenon, and why has it suddenly seized the zeitgeist? Simply put, steampunk seeks to humanize the modern technological experience by resurrecting overlooked technologies and design elements from bygone centuries: Jules Verne meets Steve Jobs. Envisioning a non-oil future that relies on alternative, sustainable fuels such as wood for transportation, heating, and art, steampunk plans for the future by looking to the past. In the process, its enthusiasts are creating an entirely new aesthetic that’s influencing fashion, design, and literature. San Francisco represents the leading edge of steampunk and, in this book, various Bay Area artists relay in depth their philosophies, stories, and theories about art-making in the future.