A Disconcertingly Realistic Disembodied Motorized Hand That Taps Its Fingers With a Flick of a Switch

Fingers MKIII

Artist Nik Ramage, who is a self-described “sculptor of useless machines and absurd devices”, has cast in iron, a disconcertingly realistic disembodied mechanized, and motorized hand with fingers that tap, drum, and do those otherwise mundane rhythmic things that fingers do, but without a brain or body attached. Ramage used his own hand as the model and while Ramage didn’t have great plans for this design, it turns out the market did.

Fingers began as a one-off piece, made in 2003. In 2009, Nik worked with Laikingland to develop Fingers into a multiple, which has since been produced in three editions and four special editions.

This kinetic piece can be purchased through the Laikingland site.

A mechanical copy of the artist’s own tapping hand. At the flick of a switch, the resin cast fingers drum rhythmically until switched off.

Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.