Hans Theys

Hans Theys is a twentieth-century philosopher and art historian. He has written and designed dozens of books on the works of contemporary artists and published hundreds of essays, interviews and reviews in books, catalogues and magazines. All his publications are based on actual collaborations and conversations with artists.

This platform was developed by Evi Bert (M HKA / Centrum Kunstarchieven Vlaanderen) in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp (Research group Archivolt), M HKA, Antwerp and Koen Van der Auwera. We also thank Idris Sevenans (HOR) and Marc Ruyters (Hart Magazine).

Panamarenko

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(c)image: Luc Schrobiltgen, Courtesy Samuel Vanhoegaerden Gallery

Maquette van Scimitar [Model of the Scimitar], 1992

Panamarenko

Object , 56 x 220 x 113 cm

metal, rubber, nylon, tape, styropor, balsa

This model for the Scimitar is a small helicopter with a single rotor and three curved rotor blades. A small stabilizing tail rotor is fitted at the back with a rod. The main rotor is positioned at the aircraft’s centre of gravity, above the pilot. Panamarenko named the machine with the curved wings after the curved sword of Saladin, who had a scimitar made of Damascus steel. Panamarenko made his helicopter’s bent rotor blades from polystyrene around a balsa-wood armature that narrows towards the tips. The wings were coated with liquid putty and then covered with silk. To operate the machine, the pilot lies on a balsa-wood seat. The helicopter is powered by a combination of arm and leg movements. A lever on the pilot’s left-hand control rod adjusts the position of the tail rotor and hence the direction
of the aircraft. The original flying machine, with a span of 11 meters, has hung in the arrivals lounge at Brussels International Airport.

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