credit Photo: Amanda Dutton, Synesthesia Photo, courtesy of Christopher Conte
As an artificial limb designer and hobbyist robotics engineer, artist Christopher Conte rarely uses blueprints or sketches to craft his elaborate biomechanical sculptures. Instead, the New York-based machinist relies on his imagination. "I just get a vivid idea in my mind of what I want to make and start hunting for the parts," he said. "I have a large inventory of antique parts, so I’ll often play with them like Legos and see what comes together." Inspired by the intricate craftsmanship of turn-of-the-century technology and Japanese bronze work, Conte also turns to obscure sci-fi films for stimulation. "I’ll see something in a movie and think, ’Wouldn’t it be cool if that existed?’ And then I’ll try to bring them to reality," he said. Left: Machined from stainless steel parts and brass found objects, this fully articulated arm was based on the anatomical version of the human skeletal system. To build the "Biomech Stainless Steel Articulated Arm" in 2006, Conte drew on both his professional background and a childhood fantasy he’s harbored since he was 8 years old. "I’ve wanted to build a robotic arm since I was a kid," Conte said. "If I were getting an artificial arm, I would want it to look like this one."
credit Photo: Amanda Dutton, Synesthesia Photo, courtesy of Christopher Conte
Carbon-Fiber Spyder, 2004 =
description This spider sculpture, like many of Conte’s creations, has working joints and limbs, making it fully manipulable, but the artist elected to exclude any element of autonomous movement. Instead, he constructed the fully articulated model to look as though it could begin walking at any moment. "I design my work with the sole purpose of being static art," Conte said. "But I build with the idea that they could move, so each one looks as though they are about to take a step." 
credit Photo: Amanda Dutton, Synesthesia Photo, courtesy of Christopher Conte
Chronos Version 2, 2007 =
description Conte’s skull casts depict clockworklike internal mechanics of the brain, a concept he picked up during a drawing course on human anatomy at Pratt Institute. He worked closely with his instructor to create casts and make molds from dissected cadavers for use in classroom lectures. "I love early medical diagrams by da Vinci that show cross sections of skulls, so I began working on that idea, casting skulls in bronze," Conte said. 
credit Photo: Christopher Conte
External Video Eyeware Apparatus, 2006 =
description Though this piece was commissioned by Dutch music group Grendel for use during live performances, Conte said he typically doesn’t work under contract. "My works aren’t usually commissioned," he said. "I just get an urge, an idea of what I would really like to build." 
credit Photo: Jeff Tait and Michael J. Pennachi, courtesy of Christopher Conte
Unmanned Attack Helicopter, 2004 =
description This radio-controlled helicopter is gas-powered, and has been modified to carry and remotely fire model rockets. Conte said Star Wars helped spur him to build machines from found materials. Using model airplanes, a hacksaw and glue, he improvised the X-wing fighters he saw in the film because "there weren’t any Star Wars toys made yet. So I made my own." 
credit Photo: Christopher Conte
Lethal Injection Attack Droid Prototype, 2004 =
description The Mars Rover, along with the autonomous drones and robots typical of science-fiction films, inspired this deadly looking futuristic war machine made from titanium and recycled aluminum. The vintage glass syringe was likely acquired from eBay, and attached to complete Conte’s vision. "I was interested in the rover, and developed my own suspension system for this model," he said, "and got carried away by the (resulting) aesthetics of the mechanical parts. So it evolved into a deadly autonomous weapon." 
credit Photo: Christopher Conte
Articulated Singer Insect, 2005 =
description This model was handcrafted from found antique mechanical parts, including a vintage Singer sewing attachment. Though Conte prefers to use existing parts rather than build each model from the ground up, he has to make sure each preconstructed piece stays true to his original vision. "When I found this, I knew it was the body of a bug," Conte said. "All I had to do was build the legs." 
credit Photo: Christopher Conte
Fully Articulated Stainless Steel Spider Armature, 2003 =
description Each work of art can take Conte as long as two months to build, even if a central body part is derived from a vintage mechanical part, like the partial Swatch wristband incorporated into this design. Although his pieces often run upward of $2,000 each, Conte estimates that, given the amount of time he invests into building each piece, it works out to 15 cents an hour for a given sculpture. "I’ve been doing this sort of work since college, but never at this level of intricacy, this level of craftsmanship," he said. 
credit Photo: Amanda Dutton, Synesthesia Photo, courtesy of Christopher Conte
Steam Insect, 2007 =
description Hoping to fuse his love of steam engines with the complexity of insects, Conte aimed to reproduce the visual appeal and elaborate mechanics of both with this model. He admits that the Steam Insect is currently his favorite sculpture of the bunch, largely because he "just loves the design." "I wanted to build a model that captures both the intricate mechanics of an insect, and also build a design that comes close to looking as though it can replicate nature," Conte said.
