
photos via Ann-Katrin Krenz
Art… It’s hard to define. Art can come in many different forms, including music, painting, photography, sculpting, and the list goes on. Many people wonder where inspiration for art comes from, and no one really has the answer.
Two students at the Berlin University of the Arts have come up with one of the most unique pieces of art that I have ever come across. Michael Burk and Ann-Katrin Krenz used a 3D printer to print out a digitally created, very intricate object. Once printed, they took the object, built a holding device for it, and positioned it over an old overhead projector. This was combined with other glass lenses to create what the artists thought would make for a unique display.
“Inspired by obsolete projection technologies like the overhead projector, and especially the episcope, an installation was designed that generates unique imagery and a fascinating experience,” wrote Michael Burk. “Mixing digital aesthetics – parametric and generative shapes – with the qualities of analog projection creates an otherworldly look that seems to be neither digital nor analog.”
The 3D printed design is spherical to allow for it to be spun in different directions, creating an illusion of continuity (see video below). “Interacting with the installation creates a deeply immersive effect, as the instant reaction of the projection and the ‘infinite frame rate’ let this fantastical world come to life,” wrote Burk.
It isn’t too often you get creations so unique, and so “analog” in nature. While the object that is having light passed through it is 3D printed with modern technology, the actual display of the work is presented through outdated, obsolete technology. It’s nice to know that some of our technological history can still go to good use.
So where in the world did these two artists come up with such a clever idea? Burk explains:
“The formal aesthetics of the first prototypes evoked associations with the model of the solar system in “Mysterium Cosmpgraphicum” by Johannes Kepler, who thought to have found the geometrical basis of the universe in the platonic bodies. Picking up the mysticism created by Kepler, who also saw the platonic bodies as representations of the elements (fire, water, earth, air), the projected world embodies an abstract story.”
As for the 3D model used in this piece, it was created with CINEMA 4D and printed by Shapeways. The shapes were modeled in XPresso and MoGraph. Check out the video presentation of this incredible art piece below:
Subscribe to Our Email Newsletter
Stay up-to-date on all the latest news from the 3D printing industry and receive information and offers from third party vendors.
You May Also Like
3D Printing News Briefs, February 8, 2025: Partnership, Post-Processing, & More
We’re starting off today’s 3D Printing News Briefs with business news: Xact Metal shipped its 150th 3D printer and achieved its second highest quarterly order revenue, while Fastech announced a...
Stratasys Secures $120M Investment from Fortissimo Capital Amid Pressure from Bambu Lab
Stratasys Ltd. (NASDAQ: SSYS) has announced a $120 million investment from Fortissimo Capital, an Israeli private equity firm. The deal involves the direct purchase of 11.65 million newly issued shares...
AscendArc Emerges from Stealth with $4M and a 3D Printing Deal
Chris McLain is no stranger to satellites. His experience as a principal engineer at SpaceX, where he worked on Starlink, helped shape the future of global connectivity. Now, he’s taking...
Toyota Joins Japan’s Space Race with $44M Rocket Investment in Interstellar
Toyota is backing Japan’s rocket ambitions with a ¥7 billion ($44.3 million) investment in Interstellar Technologies as part of its Series F funding round. Interstellar, a company aiming to make...