Panamarenko (1940-2019) - Pepto Bismo

a signed offset lithograph by the Belgian artist, often in editions of 100 to 250 copies. It shows his design for a portable "backpack aircraft" from 1994, inspired by the medicine Pepto-Bismol. The images show technical details of the vertical takeoff mechanism with short rotors.
Mechanism: Unlike earlier "backpack airplanes" with propellers, the Pepto Bismo operates on the helicopter principle. The craft has 12 short, wooden propellers that make vertical takeoff possible.
Control: The pilot controls the craft entirely through bodily movements, with propulsion coming from small but powerful motors (or in later versions gasoline engines to prevent overheating).
The Name: The name is a deliberate distortion of the American stomach remedy Pepto-Bismol. By dropping the final 'l', Panamarenko gave it a "mythical and enchanting character".
Collections & Public Works
The SMAK and the KMSKA have versions of these designs in their collections.
In Antwerp, on Sint-Jansplein, there is a permanent bronze monument of the Pepto Bismo II from 2003, near the place where the artist lived for many years.
Sold without a frame