【3D Printing Application】Ultimaker at an Interactive Fashion Art Exhibition
The Cincinnati Art Museum is dedicated to promoting creative exhibitions and programs related to art, exploring the relationship between 3D printing and fashion by highlighting the works of designer Iris van Herpen. Recently, the museum acquired an Ultimaker printer to introduce visitors to the wide applications of 3D printing and the value this technology brings when combining science and artistic creation.
Avant-Garde Fashion in a Palace of Art
The Cincinnati Art Museum is one of the oldest visual arts institutions in the United States, hailed as the "Art Palace of the West" when it opened on May 17, 1886. Today, the museum spans over 200,000 square feet, featuring 88 exhibition galleries, the Mary R. Schiff Library, a laboratory, and more – attracting approximately 200,000 visitors annually, with an encyclopedic collection of nearly six million objects, some dating back six millennia.
This was a recent exhibition by Dutch fashion designer Iris van Herpen, who specializes in 3D printed clothing; in addition to creating two new collections annually, van Herpen has exhibited worldwide. The "Transforming Fashion" art exhibition at the Cincinnati Art Museum's Southwest Gallery ran from October 13, 2017, to January 7, 2018.
Iris van Herpen first incorporated 3D printing into her 2012 Crystallization collection and continues to combine different technologies in her garment creations; while some of her garments are fully 3D printed, other accessories are 3D printed and then finished by hand. For Iris, this is the best way to realize her visual concepts, allowing fashion to fully bloom at the Cincinnati Art Museum.
Integrating Fashion Trends with Creative Technology
The exhibition's origins are impressive, a collaboration between the High Museum of Art in Atlanta and the Groninger Museum in the Netherlands. The project was curated by Sarah Schleuning of the Atlanta Museum and Mark Wilson and Sue-an van der Zijpp of the Groninger Museum; the "Transforming Fashion" art exhibition included 45 dresses, 9 pairs of shoes, and various samples, allowing guests to interact with the materials used to create these garments.
As the exhibition is interactive, the museum also showcased a 3D printer to emphasize the process of creating such unique clothing; by incorporating the Ultimaker 3 into the museum's plan during the Iris van Herpen exhibition, Alex Otte Callon, coordinator of the Rosenthal Education Center (REC), hoped to highlight the immersive 3D printing experience and inspire visitors to contemplate its possibilities.
"The Rosenthal Education Center has a dedicated interactive space that changes twice a year, with themes covering permanent collections, special exhibitions, and elements of art and world culture," Alex said. The 3D printer not only demonstrated how such garments are made alongside the fashion but also enhanced the interactive element connecting art and education.
A Bridge Connecting Science and Art
Although Iris van Herpen's work primarily caters to a fashion-forward audience, Cynthia Amneus, Chief Curator of Fashion Arts and Textiles, anticipated that the technological elements of the exhibition would attract customers from related fields and a wide range of ages. Cynthia expected the exhibition to draw architects, engineers, and artists, industries related to Iris; she believes that the flexibility of 3D printing makes it a cross-disciplinary tool, as it offers insights into how it integrates into design and product development.
Demystifying 3D Printing
The Cincinnati Art Museum team was eager to use the Ultimaker printer themselves during the inaugural exhibition. "From the moment we put this exhibition on the calendar, one of the top priorities was to have a 3D printer installed on-site. For the general public, 3D printing is still a mystery, and it's very important to demystify the process and educate visitors on how 3D printing is used," Cynthia explained.
The REC team had to cleverly highlight the thought and design elements involved in 3D printing. In Iris van Herpen's case, 3D printed elements are often combined with traditional craftsmanship. They found that the Ultimaker 3 printer not only allowed for seamless setup but also simplified explaining these methods. Ultimaker Cura software also helped with slicing models and easily setting up objects, saving the museum time and overcoming learning barriers.
"I prefer the intuitive operation of the Ultimaker Cura software and the Ultimaker 3's ability to operate automatically and complete prints; if I need to make adjustments or add printing materials, it gives me step-by-step instructions." Although Alex was nervous about setting up and using a 3D printer without prior experience, he was thrilled by the simple process of the Ultimaker 3. Thus, the REC team set about curating an excellent exhibition to showcase Iris van Herpen's impressive innovative technology.
"Engineering, philosophy, and creativity meet in van Herpen's projects," Cynthia says. Through collaborations with Benthem Crouwel Architects and Rem D. Koolhaas, and clients like Beyoncé, Björk, and Tilda Swinton, van Herpen explores new methods while pushing fashion to conceptual and inspiring levels. The REC team hopes to encourage fashion enthusiasts to explore the world of 3D printing, while those interested in Ultimaker will recognize 3D printing's unique applications in design.
The Future of 3D Printing at the Cincinnati Art Museum
The Ultimaker 3, housed in the education center during the Iris van Herpen exhibition, continues to support various projects to this day; in addition to visitors interacting with the printer at the museum, REC staff also use the Ultimaker 3 to print artworks, wearable accessories, and other prints.
The team also collaborates with students from the American Design Program at the University of Cincinnati to develop Cincinnati Art Museum-themed prints and build a model library for use. "This technology is not currently accessible to every demographic, so by making it available to the public in a free education center, people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds can learn more about 3D printing and its wide range of uses," Alex said.
Now that the Iris van Herpen exhibition is complete, Alex and her team are integrating the Ultimaker 3 into other projects around the museum; it will continue to be used for educational purposes and applied in exhibition design and art conservation departments. 3D printing constantly achieves continuous breakthroughs, and if you want to learn more about its possibilities, you can refer to our other articles; if you have a great idea but struggle with practical implementation, we also offer 3D printing services to accompany you towards an innovative future.
Original article: https://ultimaker.com/en/stories/52486-a-study-in-innovative-design-at-the-cincinnati-art-museum