Portugal: Minho’s Love is One of the Largest 3D Printed Art Installations Ever

Portugal has a spectacular new art installation to enjoy from Diverte. The ‘Amore Minhoto’ is the title gracing one of the largest installations ever created in their country. Serving as part of the cultural program of Estação Viana Shopping, ‘Pulsar Viana,’ the installation can be viewed at the mall through October 30th.

One of the second projects we have highlighted by Diverte in the past couple of years, this new piece translates to ‘Minho’s Love,’ and is comprised of:

• Sculpture
• Painting
• Architecture
• Music
• Light

The massive 3D printed installation was inspired by the city’s connection to ‘everything that represents love.’ Considered a massive piece of technological art, the installation required five months to complete, with 3,000 hours of printing work, including 4648 LEDs and 350 meters of electrical cable. Both the structure and base of the artwork are steel, while the woodwork is composed of marine plywood and OSB on the benches. The rest of the installation is all 3D printed with PLA and 75+ meters of RGB LED strips.

The installation measures 4.2 meters high and 3 meters large. The heart, male and female figures, cubes, and lithophanes are all 3D printed.

“The reference to love is something that is inherent in Viana do Castelo. The heart is one of the symbols of the city, along with its regional costumes and pilgrimage (the biggest in country),” says Pedro Amaral Ribeiro, Diverte creative director.

With a panel of 356 colored, retro cubes—and a lithophane face featuring the city of Viana do Castelo—Diverte explains in their press release sent to 3DPrint.com that ‘this has become the largest 3D printed piece in the country.’

“The installation has a heart with a door and a window – being a reference to a shelter. There is a couple there: she at the window, in love, and he sitting, looking at her. Both are dressed in the costume of the region, in a stylized version. The association of his love with his land, Minho, created the name of the piece,” says the artist responsible for the artistic piece.

The installation will also be a great attraction for the visitors to the mall as they can take part in piece too, interacting by using the control panel to go forth and change the colors and special light effects of the artwork. Not only that, the rear of the installation offers an inviting area for visitors to draw, enjoying cooperation and co-creation not only with the original artists of the piece but also with others who are passing through just like themselves, appreciating art and engaging in fun.

3D printing has lent itself to the inspiration of many artists so far, with art installations around the world from light art to sophisticated brick architecture and the creation of many different lithophanes too. What do you think of this news? Let us know your thoughts! Join the discussion of this and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com.

[Source / Images: Diverte; photos credit to Elsa Simões of NiT.pt]