Acinonyx is a burning man art project. A larger than life plywood cheetah automaton featuring articulated joints in the neck, spine, tail, and all four legs. Each limb includes multiple pivot points, allowing for fluid, lifelike motion. A large hand crank activates the mechanism, propelling the cheetah into a simulated full-speed sprint. The automaton is partially enclosed by a canopy that connects visually and structurally to the den behind it.
The den is an enclosed wood organic shape adorned with murals. It is enveloped by custom canvas and latticework that casts dappled shadows. Inside, plush cheetah cubs made of wool/fabric lounge on beanbags, accompanied by a soft ambient audio track featuring a recording of a real cheetah purring and a contemplative meditation.
The philosophy of this piece is comfort and shelter in acceptance of mortality. We would like to express curious delight and consideration with this piece. We would like to communicate tender hope, and create an analog, gentle experience that also inspires reflection.
Acinonyx
Acinonyx, derived from Greek for “motionless claw,” is a genus within the cat family that evolved into a singular marvel of speed and stealth—embodied by the cheetah, whose unretractable claws and aerodynamic form make it nature’s most specialized sprinter across open terrain.
Acinonyx evokes introspection of abundance and mortality simultaneously. A life size automaton cheetah sprints through a series of organic gears when the participant moves a crank. A dappled covering spans it and sweeps back to a cozy sanctuary space hosting a den of cheetah cubs.
Cheetahs are apex predators that maintain their ecosystem by controlling herbivore populations preventing overgrazing and soil erosion. The philosophy of the cheetah centers on speed, efficiency, avoidance of conflict with more powerful predators, and a unique balance between solitary life and social cooperation. And while cheetah cubs are adorable, don’t forget that if the mother doesn’t succeed in the hunt they will perish. Every time you eat you take life.
Unlike the other “big cats” — lions, tigers, leopards, and jaguars — cheetahs cannot roar. Instead, they growl when threatened, chirp or make birdlike calls to communicate, and bark in social interactions. Cheetahs are also one of the few cats that can purr continuously while both inhaling and exhaling. We will have subtle and deep bass cheetah purring sound in the lounge area. The audio recordings will come from a Cheetah wildlife biologist.