Reuben Garrett Lucius Goldberg (1883 – 1970) was an American sculptor, author, engineer and inventor. He is best known for cartoons depicting complex gadgets that perform simple tasks in indirect, convoluted ways. These devices, now known as “Rube Goldberg” machines.
Here is a great example by Joseph Herscher (New Zealander, born in New York), a kinetic artist and musician. Herscher worked with children to build a 40-foot machine “La Macchina Botanica” for a public space at the Venice Biennale.
You must check this out:
"La Macchina Botania"