Living in New York is wonderful for a number of reasons, but high on my list is access to so many great museums. Not only do we have world-famous museums, like the Met and the MoMA, but we have small, specialized museums that offer unique exhibits focused on innovations in art and technology. The Museum of Art and Design’s Out of Hand: Materializing the Postdigital, on view through until July 6th, is definitely worth a visit for anyone interested in digital design and production.
I first learned about the exhibit when someone recommended in a comment on an article I wrote about the use of 3D printing to visualize space imagery, and I finally got to see it a couple of weeks ago. The focus is on fine art, design and architecture, so it doesn’t really represent the role 3D printing is playing in manufacturing industries or the possibilities it opens up in healthcare, though there is one example of a prosthetic leg.
“Out of Hand” showcases the works of 80 artists from around the world to demonstrate the variety of ways in which advanced methods of computer-assisted production known as digital fabrication brings 21st-century creativity to life. A good portion of the objects are the product of 3D printing. However, some of the works are manufactured through other techniques based on digital imaging, like CNC (computer-numerically-controlled) machining and digital knitting, and some are composites of more than one process.
The exhibit, which spans nearly three of the museum’s floors has an accompanying audio guide, which you can either download to your smart phone or get on the museum’s own iPods, which are available for visitor use at no extra charge. On my visit, the iPods were not in place at the front desk, but the clerk didn’t mind going upstairs to fetch them for us. Don’t hesitate to ask for one to enhance your own visit.
It’s not the first thing you see in the exhibit, but my favorite item in the collection is the necklace by Marc Neson. The museum identifies it as a “Doudou necklace by Boucheron, 2009.” Its design is based on the Julia Sets of fractals discovered by Gaston Julia in the early 1900s, which is why in some places it is referred to as a “Julia necklace.” The breathtaking diamond and sapphire combination is made up of 2,000 gems placed in a 3D printed setting.
The necklace wasn’t the only wearable 3D printed item on exhibit, which included a dress and a number of shoe styles. One of the high heel designs is pictured here.
For those who are inclined to more comfortable footwear, there also were some examples of ultra-lightweight 3D printed sneakers.
Some of the 3D printed items make nice furnishings for the home. There were a number of chairs, tables, and even lamp shades that all have very appealing designs. As 3D scanning makes it possible to exactly duplicate an existing object, it can also be used to recreate silverware patterns to match older designs. Highlighting the fact that the play of light can shape the copy, there is a 3D printed candelabra that has additional rays of metal that represent the light that bounced off the shiny surface of the original.
The role of light reflection is something to bear in mind if you plan to have yourself scanned for 3D printing in the section of the exhibit that serves as a showcase for Shapeways. One woman wanted to be scanned but had to give it up when the woman managing the equipment informed her that the reflection from the sheen of her leather skirt would distort the image. If you do succeed in getting scanned, you (or anyone else who finds you on Shapeways’ site) can purchase a 1/20 scale replica of yourself for $30 to $70, depending on whether the material of choice. Some reviews of the exhibit convey the impression that you can pick up your figurine on the spot, but that is not the case.
Even if you don’t get to render yourself in 3D though, you can still take home the experience of seeing the world of possibilities that 3D printing has opened up just in the areas of art and design.
The Museum of Art and Design (MAD) is located at 2 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10019. It’s open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm and on Thursday and Friday from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm. General admission for adults is $16, though there some “pay what you wish” times available.
