THE MINISTRY OF STEAMPUNK
THE GREAT EXHIBITION
The Great Exhibition has been a key feature of the Asylym Steampunk Fesival for a number of years. We welcome previously unseen and anonymised entries in a number of categories.
Entries are usually accepted from 10 AM on Saturday and the exhibition is then open for viewing from 10:30 AM Saturday through to 4 PM on Monday.
The entries are judged blind during the event and then winners are announced and medals are awarded at the closing ceremony on Monday.
The full rules and list of awards available at the Aylum 2023 will be published in due course, but are likely to be very simlar to those awarded in 2022, which were...
The Brunel Award for the Spirit of Steampunk
Awarded to Alice Horton for her "Brain Hat"
The brain hat is a vintage bowler hat with a knitted hat with icord brain on top.
The hat adds +10 to the intelligence of the wearer, with a -5 to charisma, and enables creative and broad thinking.
(Motivation sold seperately)
The Jules Verne Award for Ingenuity
Awarded to Suzie Batters for "The Journey Begins Now"
This was a child's balance bike that was discarded.
I saw its purpose to make a steampunk bicycle out of it.
It's powered by imagination and smiles.
I used leather, rivets and painting techniques.
The bicycle can and will take you anywhere.
The Pugin Award for Craftsmanship
Awarded to Heln Bel Palmer for "A Fine Friend"
Gazing at the abandoned bicycle Mo-Jo grinned at his ‘Great big idea’. He and his friends would go to Lincoln in fine style. First, the bicycle needed to be the right way up.
Scurrying back to the Hidden Village, Mo-Jo contemplated how many might be needed to make it go?
‘Me an’ another can hang off the handles and steer. Another somebody should sit on the front wheel an’ point the way. Two somebodies can push the pedal foots up an’ down...’
Every fairy figure (Um...Eleven?) wings, clothing etc scratch made, sculptured and painted by hand.
The Rosetti Award for Aesthetics
Awarded to Bethan Liente for "Rex Shirtripper Does It Again"
Intrepid explorer and famed dinocologist, Rex Shirtripper, poses for the front cover of Derring-Do Quarterly; his 17th to date.
Asked about his latest escapade, Rex was keen to point out that despite his cover appearance, he still very much worked with his hands, and had indeed taken on his rival's submarine 'as nature intended.'
"The blunderbuss is more of a big ... starter pistol. Lets 'em know the game is on! [sic]"”
The Ruskin Award for painting, drawing or other 2D artwork
Awarded to Sarah-Jane Tonks for "What I Did On My Holidays"
Painted in ink and watercolours, this piece inverts the classic Victorian sea-side postcard, depicting an octopus suitably outfitted in a pressurised suit to spend a day on the beach making sandcastles.
The Steam Bear Award
Awarded to Sharon Watts for "Lady Emily Spinach in her Jubil-tea Outift"
Lady Emily Spinach wears a bespoke outfit with all items made just for her - she has a unique shape which was quite challenging at times to draft patterns for! Her outfit is made from both recycled fabric (a bed sheet) and new fabric, with techniques and patterns adapted from person-sized garments.
Awarded to Sharon Watts for 'Lady Emily Spinach in her Jubil-tea outfit', celebrating the 70 glorious years reign of Queen Elizabeth II.
For the princely sum of £3 (pus P&P), this lonely and unloved bear was rescued from an online auction site. After some TLC, including minor neck surgery, she was reborn as Lady Emily Spinach, with a new life as a much loved companion bear.
Emily Spinach was the name of a pet garter snake belonging to Alice Roosevelt, daughter of American President Theodore Roosevelt.
In 1902 he said of Alice, ‘I can either run the country or I can attend to Alice, but I cannot possibly do both’. Alice was rebellious in her nature, and would wear Emily Spinach around her wrist to attend parties and functions. (The snake got it’s name as it was ‘as thin as Aunt Emily and as green as spinach.’)
The Worth Award for Textiles
Awarded to Birgit Shelley for "The Time-Out Seascape"
The time-out seascape displays needle crafts in 3-d workings.
It was found by the underwater explorer and shows the peaceful coexistence between various aquatic beings.
Octopus, turtle, seahorse and crustaceans are grown to different sizes and proudly display their cheerful colours.
KEEP STEAMING
We're all in this together
No-one gets left behind
We'll brave all kind of weather
And nourish every mind
For yes, yes all, are equal
Deserving of our time
This life it has no sequel
But reason and a rhyme
Keep steaming and stay splendid
Take pride in all you do
As broken can be mended
For we're steampunk through and through
The Bernhardi Award for Poetry
Awarded to Cap Nathaniel Tennyson Skirmish for his poem 'Keep Steaming'
