Janne Kyttanen Teams with 3D Systems & 3D Hubs to Create Incredible 3D Printed Orchid Cloud

Moving the Orchid Cloud, sans orchids into the museum.

3D Printing and art have been gradually coming together for quite some time now. It seems as though we are constantly seeing more and more mesmerizing designs created by artists who have adopted the modern day technology of 3D printing as part of their work. We are only beginning to break the surface of what can be accomplished for artists, designers and architects through use of this marvelous technology.

Probably one of the more renown “3D Printing” artists on the planet is a man named Janne Kyttanen. He is considered to be a pioneer in 3D printing, and is currently the Creative Director for 3D Systems. In his latest project, with help from Art of Life and Pantone, 3D Systems and 3D Hubs, he created what is called the “3D Orchid Cloud”.

The 3D Orchid Cloud

Today happens to be “International Day of the Orchid”, thus Kyttanen unveiled his incredible piece of art at the Felix & Foam in Amsterdam.

Some of the 150 different 3D printed pots

Onlookers got to see the 3D Orchid Cloud firsthand, which featured 3D printed plant pots from artists and designers from all over the globe. The artists included those in Janne’s network, along with employees of 3D Systems and others from the 3D Hubs network. There were 150 pots that were 3D printed, and each one housed a different variety of orchid. The orchids were provided by Dutch growers, and styled by Floral artist Pim van den Akker.

The intriguingly designed Orchid Cloud features faceted mirrors that create infinite reflections of the beautifully colored orchids.

“There is so much variety in form, color and texture among orchid species,” explained Janne Kyttanen. “I wanted to create an experience for everyone viewing them by bringing to life a mirrored form with faceted angles, positioned to create infinite reflections. The multitude of color and forms of the orchids combine with the mirrored surfaces, creating a mesmerizing color explosion.”

Kyttanen with his 3D Orchid Cloud

Each year, “Art of Life” invites an internationally renowned artist to create an inspiring work of art that in some shape or form includes orchids. This year was Janne’s opportunity to impress, and impress he did. Orchids are quite popular in the Netherlands, where 90% of all of Europe’s orchids are grown through the use of greenhouses. Each and every week, approximately 1.5 million orchids are delivered to consumers via auctions and contracts.

The 3D Orchid Cloud

Without a doubt, this is one of the most intriguing uses of 3D printing that I’ve ever seen. Kyttanen is known for his unique 3D printed designs that have never been attempted before. Certainly no one has ever considered 3D printing 150 orchid pots and then arranging them in a way that creates an infinite array of color.  It should be interesting to see what Kyttanen comes up with next.

What do you think about this project? Discuss in the 3D Orchid Cloud forum thread on 3DPB.com.