3D Printers & Poetry Merge to Leave MakerBot Store Attendees Mesmerized

How in the world could an artist of any kind take two things as completely different as 3D printing and poetry, combine them, and then form a masterpiece that would be mesmerizing to those in its presence? That is what artist/poet/graffiti extraordinaire, Leon Reid IV did last night at the MakerBot Store on Mulberry Street in New York.

For the event, which was by reservation only, Reid IV was on hand presenting his work in front of many intrigued onlookers, including MakerBot CEO Bre Pettis, sporting his ever growing, almost trademarkable new beard. Onlookers watched in awe as several MakerBot Replicator 3D printers began spewing out plastic words onto their build plate of a canvas. Photographer Rebecca Fuller was on hand to capture the event, as well as some of the final 3D printed poetry that Reid IV wrote and then commanded the printers to create.

MakerBot CEO Bre Pettis (left) with Leon Reid IV.

Reid IV’s masterpieces were not just your typical poems, but instead featured various types of poetry that were created from the perspective of the 3D printers themselves. People stood and gazed eagerly as the printer gradually extruded the words onto the build platform. It wasn’t until the process was almost complete that they could see the final messages. Those messages, which were printed in various fonts, were quite artistic themselves, and at the same time rather comical.

One rather entertaining 3D print read:

What is life beyond the extruder?
Far away from the bossy computer.
Out of sight of the glossy build plate,
Out of reach of the designer’s taste.

Another dove into a common issue many people with 3D printers often experience; the imperfect final print.

I adored lastnights’s print.
I think she felt the same way.
It isn’t often that a design is perfect
and I function without flaw.
But lastnight was just that.

And one from a 3D printer that believed itself to print, even though one would think it was not possible:

This Machine is off.
SD Card cannot be found.
Background services are not restored.
PLA spool is missing.
But I believe it will print.

Onlookers gazing eagerly at the prints

Even though the event is now complete, those wishing to see some of the results of last nights exhibition may see the framed prints for themselves at the MakerBot store, now through September 28. Without a doubt, this has be to one of the most creative forms of poetry that I have ever seen. What do you think about this innovative way of putting words, not onto paper, or canvas, but onto the print bed of a 3D printer? Discuss these works in the 3D Print Poetry forum thread on 3DPB.com. Check out some more photos of the poetry itself as well as from last night’s event, below (photos provided to 3DPrint.com by Leon Reid IV, with permission from photographer Rebecca Fuller).

Reid IV talking about his poetry