Concrete Playground

In my experience, tiny little things are usually either adorable (e.g., kittens, outfits for small children, cupcakes) or something to do with science: bacteria and atoms and the level of interest you have in hearing a recitation of the digits of pi. And some wonderful things are little and smart and cute, like Nancy Drew, or an iPhone, or these sculptures. Forty-six Australian and international artists are contributing works for this show within dimensions of 6x6x6 and created using rapid prototyping tools and models. Yeah, those. Duh.

All the pieces have been designed using incredibly complicated 3D modelling software that allows for really intricate and delicate virtual constructions, which are then turned into objects using 3D print technology. Like, you hit 'print' and a sculpture comes out. Creating art in this way explores the possibilities of what artists and designers can do with emerging technologies and opens up a new set of questions about the boundaries between the craftsperson, artisan and artist. They're also amazing-looking little pieces, some of which the artists will be seeing 'live' for the first time at the show. The differing artistic practices of these sculptors and their varying levels of experience with this kind of technology make for an interesting survey of its potential applications.