It’s a sub-genre of science fiction that can be expressed through just about every medium imaginable and has a strong local scene in Ottawa.
Steampunk, a type of science fiction based on 19th-century Victorian England and steam powered technology, has inspired artists in costume, drawing, literature, architecture, video games, and everything in between.
“It’s more than just a genre, it’s a geeky community,” says Lee Farruga, founder of Steampunk Ottawa and the larger online network Steampunk Canada.
“People have dated, gotten married and had children after meeting through these groups, so it has really grown.”
Steampunk Ottawa, a local group that brings steampunk enthusiasts together online and in real-world events, held their fifth anniversary gala last week at the Royal Canadian Air Force Officer’s Mess Hall in Centretown.
Many enthusiasts show up to events in their own custom-made steampunk costumes mashing elements of 19th-century fashion with reimagined modern technologies.
“You name it, and there is something in the steampunk look,” Farruga says.
“It’s been applied to everything from fashion, to books, to video games.”
Farruga says she started Steampunk Ottawa five years ago with her husband as a way to connect and share with others absorbed in the genre.
“Growing up, I was always interested in different parts of the steampunk genre and this just seemed like a good way to connect with likeminded people in Ottawa,” she says.
Since then, Farruga created similar groups across Canada.
Steampunk aesthetics have few rules or guidelines, but usually it tries to reinterpret technology with a more steam-powered mechanical twist.
In fashion, Victorian staples such as gowns, waistcoats, monocles, top hats, and corsets are common wear for people in steampunk inspired dress.
The fashion and accessories are often stylized with metallic gadgets and gears that place them in a unique historical period all their own.
Steampunk Ottawa organizes events throughout the year including tea times, movie nights, and pub nights.
Farruga is a married mother who runs her own business and is just one example of the diverse group of people who enjoy the Steampunk genre.
Michael Chiarello, a Carleton University history graduate, says he was attracted to the steampunk genre because of the interesting ways it combines old and new.
“It’s a curious thing but I find it to be very romantic, as in having nostalgia for an idealized past,” Chiarello says.
“It’s like science fiction that looks to the past rather than the future for inspiration.”
Lauren Markewicz, a history blogger and casual steampunk enthusiast, says she thinks the wide interest in the steampunk genre is rooted in people’s nostalgia for a romanticized past.
“People usually are not too worried about historical authenticity when they create things for the steampunk world,” she says.
“I always find it interesting to see how people take modern technology and then reimagine it in a way that looks like it’s from 1880.”