Brazil

The Inspiration: The sculpture was inspired by Terry Gilliam’s 1985 film Brazil, which features a character dreaming of flying with foldable wings.

The Design: Known as a “Brazil Ornithopter” (a bird-wing machine), it features a mannequin in a grey coat — later painted blue — modelled after an American Civil War officer, designed by Panamarenko himself.

Functionality: The sculpture consists of a foldable wing structure (6+ meter span) made of polyethylene film and aluminum tubes, intended to work via a 12 kg force electro-motor attached to the back.

The Origin: The concept and initial, trial-and-error construction phases took place in Michelbeke, in the Flemish Ardennes, before being finalized in Antwerp.