LO: Computational Fabrication

Mounds, Colette Bernard, 2021

While scrolling through Instagram a couple months ago, I came across a video of artist Colette Bernard talking about experimenting with her art: 3D-printing ceramic. Bernard’s meta-forms rely upon the usual layer method of CNC 3D printing, but using clay instead of filament. It was a long process of what state to have the clay at (dry vs. wet, how large does the “filament” line have to be, ect.), but eventually she was able to print moldable ceramic. What I find most interesting about the work is the intersection between the human and the algorithmic components. Bernard mentions that she did use 3D modeling software to initially design her sculptures, but doesn’t talk further about her algorithm. Although a couple of her sculptures rely solely upon her algorithm, sometimes Bernard manually turns the printing plate during the printing process. I think this interplay between man and machine is very intriguing and brings up interesting questions about where “Colette’s” art begins and “machine production” ends. It’s almost as if the computer algorithm has taken life of its own and is participating with Bernard in creating her structures.