# Steampunk Animal Vehicles Mechanical Scultures in Nantes, France By Ben Preiss | Published 2008-01-07 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/steampunk-animals References: [neatorama](http://www.neatorama.com/2008/01/06/the-machine-animals-of-nantes/) & [espvisuals.blogspot](http://espvisuals.blogspot.com/2008/01/from-mecha-horses-to-mecha-squid.html) Artists François Delarozière and Pierre Orefice are exhibiting their [strange mechanical sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/steampunk-nautilus) in Nantes, France. These huge moving, ride-on steampunk mechanical contrivances of an elephant, [squid, deep-sea fish](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/marine-ecosystem-sculptures) and others are a fascinating moving exhibit. **Implications** - Some of the pieces seem surprisingly lifelike, and it's amazing to think about how much time and effort had to go into each one. The giant creations are a combination of [gear wheels, hydraulics and moving parts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/industrial-art1). They were built at a workshop that now occupies the former site of Nantes' docks, but it goes without saying that they will bring in a large amount of tourism to the city on account of their bizarre nature. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.5/10 - Popularity: 88% | Activity: 68% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Steampunk Animal Vehicles:** Opportunity for artists and engineers to explore the combination of mechanical sculptures and steampunk aesthetics. - **Moving Sculpture Exhibits:** Potential for creating captivating and interactive art installations that showcase large-scale mechanical movements. - **Tourism-enhancing Artworks:** Creating unique and eccentric attractions that draw visitors to cities and increase tourism revenue. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Art and Design:** Opportunities for artists to push the boundaries of sculpture and create innovative and eye-catching artistic installations. - **Entertainment and Tourism:** The ability to attract tourists with unconventional and awe-inspiring mechanical exhibits, leading to increased visitor numbers and economic growth in the tourism industry. - **Engineering and Manufacturing:** Demand for skilled engineers and manufacturers to bring to life complex and intricate mechanical sculptures with moving parts. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Futuristic Museum Exhibitions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/unnatural-history-museum-of-singapore.md) - [Interactive Kinetic Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/interactive-kinetic-sculptures.md) - [Kinetic Art Objects](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/la-machine.md) - [Otherworldly Wooden Art](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wooden-sculptures-1.md) - [Gas Rig Art Installations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/striking-art-installation.md) - [Almost-Extinct Animal Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fauna-series.md) - [Outdoor Wildlife Exhibitions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-great-elephant-migration.md) - [Insect-Inspired Bronze Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/insect-bronze-sculptures.md) - [Steampunk Aesthetic Espresso Makers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/steampunk-espresso-machine.md)