Eliza Pratt – Looking Outwards 03

Elona Van Gent’s 3D printed sculpture, Wheelclawsteeth, demonstrates how digital fabrication can be used to create works that replicate naturally occurring or handmade forms. With the use of a Laminated Object Manufacturing machine (or LOM), Elona crafts “alluring and discomforting creatures” with laser-cut paper. Not only do I find her work captivating in a Guillermo-del-Toro-like fashion, but I deeply admire Van Gent’s ability to push the boundaries of computer generated sculptures to create work that could not exist in an art world void of technological advancements. By developing sculptures that appear naturally grotesque with the use of machinery, Elona challenges the existing polarity between digital fabrication and traditional sculpture. I find this to be a commendable objective in a climate where computer generative art is regarded as separate and distinctive from hand-crafted sculptures and installations.