Contemporary Sculptures

for Andreas Schmitten

Digital, iterative sculpting workflow for a contemporary artist. CAD modelling of 25+ scupltures

Client

Studio Andreas Schmitten, German-based Contemporary Artist

Scope

Collaborate on creating of a new body of work by leveraging my expertise in the field of design.

Responsibilities: 3D-modelling, CG & XR vizualisation, prototyping, exhibition planning

Outcome

An iterative sculpting workflow that bridges digital and physical prototyping.

25+ contemporary art sculptures for a solo-exhibition at an international Art Gallery and further renowned institutions.

Andreas Schmitten (*1980)

is an established, mid-career artist who works in Düsseldorf, Germany. Schmitten’s multidisciplinary artworks move between drawing, sculpture, and installation, incorporating techniques of attraction from religion, theater, and commodities. The artist is concerned with questions about human beings, their history, the seemingly mundane, functional objects they create, and the cultural structures that result from their actions.  

Schmitten’s work negociates fundamental questions of sculpture as well as painting, such as the relationship between two and three-dimensional representation, color, volume and place. At the centre of his artistic interest is the ultrathin zone that separates the human body from the space sourrounding it. Like the distancing play between extreme alienation and cool dissociation, his obsessive focus on user interfaces thematises the human body in its absence.

Solo Exhibitions
  • G2 KUNSTHALLE, Leipzig (2023)
  • KÖNIG GALERIE, Berlin (2021)
  • RUTTKOWSKI;68, Paris, (2020)
  • KÖNIG GALERIE, London (2018)
Group exhibitions
  • PILEVNELI, Kaplankaya (2021)
  • RUTTKOWSKI;68, Paris (2020)
  • KASTEEL OUD-REKEM, Lanaken (2020)
  • AMELCHENKO, New York (2019)

Workflow

Artistic evolution: Blending future vision and previous work

In addition to examining previous artworks of Schmitten, we used sketches and reference images to build up a mutual understanding of the artistic vision and desired aesthetics. Extensive verbal and visual communication was the foundation for our collaboration.

Translating ideas into the 3D space

Leveraging my background in Industrial Design, I introduced a suite of software tools for streamlining our workflow and enhancing efficiency by enabling rapid and effective assessment.

Game-changing evaluation through digital and tangible prototypes

Creating 3-dimensional sculptures demands constant evaluation of surfaces and volumes at every stage of the process. I introduced a versatile 3D design toolkit that enabled us to flexibly assess work-in-progress sculptures through a variety of methods.

Virtual- and Mixed Reality

Virtual Reality enabled intuitive evaluation of sculpture size, volume, and environmental context well before physical production began.

Previewing exhibitions on-site by augmenting the digital sculpture into the real environment was a game-changer for the artist.

CG Rendering

CG Visualization was pivotal in guiding exhibition planning. In addition, realistic renderings offered on-screen previews of the sculptures, supporting the creation process and enabling stakeholders to preview and market the final designs well before manufacturing commenced.

3D Printing

I created printable CAD data for both resin and offset 3D printing, slicing and positioning the models to optimize them for the printing process.

3D printing throughout the entire creation process, from intermediate models to final sculptures, provided tangible results that informed the decision-making process.

Manufacturing process

Foam milling

High-quality 3D data with precise surface designs was used for full-scale milling of large-scale sculptures.

Metal casting

A sand mold was formed based on the foam-milled shape, which was then cast in metal to produce the final sculpture.

The metal surface was meticulously hand-refined through a labor-intensive process. Once completed, the pieces were joined and painted to achieve the final finish.

Outcome

Our collaboration culminated in the creation of a more than 25 contemporary art sculptures, which were meticulously manufactured and received widespread international acclaim.

This body of work stands out as the Schmitten’s most sophisticated and ambitious endeavor to date, representing a pivotal moment in his artistic evolution and reputation on the global stage.

SESSHAFT

Solo-Exhibition (2021)

”Schmitten’s most ambitious group of works to date.

Martin GermannArt Critic, Curator Mori Art Museum Tokyo

”Large-scale sculptures exhibited at König Gallery invite viewers to reflect on human interaction

Yasmina KaramDesignboom Magazine

”The high level of control and precision is striking and an essential characteristic of Schmitten's art

Jon WoodSculpture Journal

Einst, den Anderen…

Solo-Exhibition (2022)

IMMATERIELLES

Public Sculpture, Frankfurt Main Airport (2024-2034)

Further past- and ongoing displays

 

The sculptures developed through our collaboration with Andreas Schmitten are consistently showcased in both German and international settings. These pieces signify a notable development in the artist’s body of work. Created through our joint efforts, they continue to exist and will persist into the future, marking a significant phase in Schmitten’s artistic journey. Additionally, the workflow that I introduced has become an invaluable and integral element of the creation process.