Cryoflagellites

Cryoflagellites. Kate Kaman, 2008.
Polyurethane resin, electroluminescent wire, effervescent wire.

An artwork that seems eerily like a living being, this sculpture glows, reacts to sounds in its environment, and is warmed from within. Inspired by the phenomenon of bioluminescence I witnessed on vacation in the Carribean, this piece of art is a reflection on amazing micro-organisms called dynoflagellites that live in salt-water bays lined by mangroves.

The stop-motion animation was filmed as the sculptures melted their way slowly through a huge block of ice in which they were frozen. It was my first use of a temporary ice armature; part of an installation dealing with awareness of global warming issues, dire ecological issues facing our generation, and the majesty of nature in spite of it all. Although a tribute to a phenomenon from the natural world, this sculpture was achieved utilizing purely digital sculpture techniques. It was designed in Rhino, and cast into a mold made with a 5 axis CNC mill. The 3D printer (rapid prototyping machine) made the connectors, and the laser cutter made an acrylic armature for everthing to rest on after the ice melted.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• art
• experimental
• cnc
• mill
• digital
• fabrication