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Chico Bicalho was born in Rio de Janeiro and studied at an elementary school where the football field had trees throughout, because the school was against cutting them down. Later he moved to Petropolis, RJ, an area surrounded by the South Atlantic tropical rainforest. He believes in having a spiritual life, in freedom, and in peace; supports the theory that the earth is one living thing and feels that humans should understand nature, live with nature, and be equal to nature; received a BFA in sculpture from RISD and MFA in photography NYU; since 1995 has been working with a group of friends on reforestation projects replanting native South Atlantic tropical rain forest trees. Chico lives in Rio with his wife, a graphic designer/industrial designer called Isabella Torquato. He wants to keep traveling, making art, and planting trees. Categories
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Category Archives: Le Pinch
le pinch
November 5, 2007
The new windup, Le Pinch was designed in collaboration between Chico Bicalho and Isabella Torquato. The concept was discussed, and based on the movement of the inchworm, back in early 2006. In order to illustrate the movement, and idea of a mechanized inchworm, an animation was created using a 3d modeling program, and sent to the factory, in order for research to begin.
To orchestrate the alternating movement, and articulated pivoting of Le Pinch’s gearbox, was no easy task. The mechanics involving the unique movement of Le Pinch was by far the most challenging windup design in the ten years since Critter was introduced back in 1997. More than one hundred prototypes were designed, and produced between 2006 and 2007, but only towards the end, they began to make sense, and to move properly. Although Le Pinch was, by far, the most complex, and challenging windup to create, we hope it entertains people in the same proportion, for we believe the result is exactly what we had dreamed with from the early plans.
Chico and Isabella