The second in the series of four annual contemporary kinetic shows,
inspired by the Murtogh D. Guinness Collection of Automatic Musical
Instruments & Automata is currently showing at the Morris Museum.

Titled "A Cache of Kinetic Art: Simply Steampunk", this exhibit carries
with it the underlying theme of steampunk, a popular subculture and
esthetic inspired by 19th century machine technology, with a view
towards the future, at present, and runs through August 11th, 2019

Nineteenth century automata and automatic musical instruments are
essentially all kinetic artworks of the past, and the connections to
modern day kinetic artists and their fantastical creations are for the
most part, easily recognizable.  And in other cases, they may be much
more abstract, but they are all kinetic,  some even musical.

Similarly to "AutomataCon" (2016 and 2018) and "Curious Characters"
(2018, and first in the kinetic series), we're finding that these events
attract all ages, right across the board, from 3 years old to 100.

Everyone wants to see and hear everything in action.  Using the Guinness
Collection as a platform to launch new and potentially exciting exhibits
and/or learning forums, such as STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering,
Arts and Math) and engaging our youth, introduces everyone to that which
they may never have experienced before, the art and history of
mechanical musical instruments and automata.

The next "AutomataCon" will again be hosted here at the Morris Museum
in 2020; more on that at a later date. Come join us if you're in the
greater New York City region this summertime.  In the meantime, here
is a link to the "State of the Arts" PBS program highlighting "Simply
Steampunk": https://youtu.be/69-pJCgF5QQ 

Jere Ryder - Conservator, Guinness Collection
Morris Museum
Morristown, New Jersey