Ben Price
Museum Review
Genevieve Hendricks
4-11-14
The Museum of Art and Design’s exhibition Out of Hand: Materializing the Postdigital
is a very interesting and beautiful introduction into the world of 3-D printing, laser cutting, and
other various art techniques that have manifested after the digital revolution. The first floor is a
collection of sculptural pieces that have all been created by machines in order to produce
impossibly intricate details, perfect lines and curves, or some other aspect that could not be
produced in the same mathematical perfection by human hands. However, not all the pieces were
composed of intricate angles and minute details.
Anish Kapoor and Roxy Paine both had series of sculptures that mimicked the organic
and random by having machines pour out jets of cement and plastic in order to produce
structures that looked similar to lava flows. The juxtaposition of the man-made and organic made
these sculptures incredibly interesting. Both series use synthetic materials, plastic and concrete,
which are subsequently poured out from a machine, yet they both create forms that are elegant
and organic in form. It appears that both artists wanted to convey a sense of the biological in
their pieces. However, the post-digital age of art includes other, more natural materials which
were exhibited besides the flowing concrete and plastic such as stone, natural textiles, and paper.
The artist Barry X Ball created a series of stone replicas of Giusto Le Court’s (1627 1679) “La Invidia” using computers to make the process faster and replicate every detail of the
original piece. Barry X Ball’s “Envy” is an examination of the ideal and the copy. Digital
scanning and regeneration of image and dimension has given artists and designers the ability to
replicate any form they wish; however, the commentary is on the loss of art, individuality, and
authenticity that comes from mass production through technological innovation. The entire floor
had examples of replicas, whether from nature or other artists, as well as examples of completely
innovative and conceptual structural pieces that are only aided by digital means. Both are
completely valid forms of art and each has a commentary of their own.
The second floor was more focused on utilitarianism and the implementation of
revolutionary manufacturing techniques in fashion, product design, and interior design. There
were sweaters, dresses, shoes, chairs, and even plans for housing. 3-D printing and laser cutting
has innovated the world of design by making intricate and beautiful pieces cheaper and faster to
create without sacrificing strength or quality of materials. If society could print out houses from
their computers, or a new hat or pair of shoes, it would change the world and give humans the
means to revolutionize the design landscape. This sort of availability of material and design
could either create a civilization of cookie-cutter homes, clothes, and other things, or a land of
individualized design and innovation.
Iris Van Herpen is one of the most innovative fashion designers of the modern era, and
each one of her pieces is a perfect example of how technology has changed fashion forever and
has turned her works into beautiful and conceptual works of modern art. The dress that is
exhibited at MAD is a beautiful creation consisting of a simple top and skirt that are both
covered entirely with white and blue 3-D printed organic forms that make the wearer appear as
though she has risen from the sea, covered in shells and mollusks. Van Herpen is often inspired
by nature for her fashion design, so it is very interesting that she would choose such inorganic
ways of manufacturing. However, it is impossible for the human hand to recreate the complex
geometry of nature, so mathematical formulas only serve to aid the process.
The final stop on the Out of Hand: Materializing the Postdigital exhibition is on the
second floor where the mathematics and computer theories come into practice directly with the
viewer. The 3-D printing studio contains resident artists’ work, examples of different types of
printing, and a scanner that can digitally analyze one’s portrait and print it out. This portion was
interesting because of the relationship the viewer has with the technology. The abstractions of art
and design are lost when confronted with a relatable and interactive piece such as a portrait of
one’s self printed out of a machine. This is a great way to end the exhibition because it gives one
the experience of being scanned into the digital world while also giving them something to take
home.
The most important thing to take away from the MAD Out of Hand: Materializing the
Postdigital exhibit is to understand the intersection of the digital world with the real world.
These designs and art piece start as purely conceptual thoughts which then manifest themselves
into sketches and computer diagrams which are read and magically transformed into tangible
things in just a few hours. There are attempts now to turn 3-D printers into household items.
There are certain ramifications, such as the printing of gun parts or the threat of copyright
infringement, but the benefits are so fantastic. With advancements in this technology comes the
hope of printed organ transplants, cheap and easily manufactured homes, and the ability for
people to be creative and experimental with art and design in the comfort of their own home.
With the fusion of technology and design we can revolutionize every industry there is.