Bruce Rosenbaum teams up with metal sculptor Jon Bander of Notorious Weld on latest Humachine honoring Ada Lovelace – widely considered to be the world’s first computer programmer.
The Renaissance was an age of ideas, the arts, and INVENTION.
One of history’s greatest minds from this time period was Leonardo da Vinci – well known for his painting and sculpting prowess – he was equally gifted as a visionary and inventor.
In the early 1500’s, da Vinci was fascinated with the concept of human flight and drew detailed schematics for a flying machine called the ornithopter, which would allow a human pilot to fly in a machine that mimicked the motion and design of a bird’s wing.
Although it is not known if he ever built or attempted to fly in one of these inventions, da Vinci’s concept has inspired many to dream of new variations and even attempt their own “flights of fancy.”
Ada’s Ornijethopter
Part of ModVic’s ‘Flights of ReImagination’ Series
The new sculpture by Bander and Rosenbaum is inspired by Ada Lovelace – considered to be the world’s first computer programmer – as a result of her work and lifelong friendship with Charles Babbage a prominent professor of mathematics at Cambridge. Babbage was the inventor of a new calculating machine called the Difference Engine – he was a pioneer of early computers.
Ada called herself “an Analyst (& Metaphysician)”. From a young age her mother had her tutored in mathematics and science. This was to counter-balance the more poetic and whimsical traits of her emotion driven father, the poet Lord Byron.
Despite these efforts by a mother to temper an eccentric daughter, Ada’s in-depth study of mathematics is what drove her to dream of inventing steam powered wings in the likeness of Leonardo da Vinci’s batwing Ornithopter flying machine.
18’ Wingspan with Drone Propellers
Jon Bander of Notorious Weld sculpted and created the look of ‘Ada’s Ornijethopter’ to pay tribute to the past, while incorporating today’s engineering ideas in true reimagination form.
The experimental, fantastical Steampunk flying machine piloted by Ada Lovelace integrates the natural flapping bird wing motion with a jet rocket pack and fan blade drone technology to create controlled and sustained flight.
The kinetic sculpture is made up of a lightweight aircraft aluminum skeleton with repurposed objects including a milk pasteurizing unit, saddle mold, modern chair bases, and an experimental aluminum wing as a backing for the pilot.
Invented in June 2021, Ada’s Ornijethopter can be seen outside the ModVic Gallery and Steampunk Wonderland in Palmer, MA.
