Michael Hansmeyer Presents Digital Grotesque, Additive Art Made From Sand

There are many examples of art installations where artists have used additive manufacturing in different ways. Whether it be different technologies or materials, this list includes works by artists such as Julia Körner and her 3D-printed installations in the Palazzo Gritti in Venice or Peter Lang, who used AM to create futuristic works. With his creations, Michael Hansmeyer now joins the list. Hansmeyer is an architect and programmer. He recently presented his latest works, Digital Grotesque I, and Digital Grotesque II. These are algorithms-inspired designs. According to the artist, the installation’s goal is to create architecture that is both beautiful and functional. “defies classification and reductionism.”

Michael Hansmeyer can sign his name to many 3D-printed artworks. He also counts Digital Grotesque I, II, and works such as The Magic Flute (White Tower), and Maquarnas. Digital Grotesque is important because it is both organic and synthetic. According to his own statements, this gives the artwork an unexpected as well as expected appearance. The artwork is quite surprising, even though algorithms are given a certain degree of determinacy. This is due in part to the use 3D printing as a manufacturing process.

Photo Credits: Michael Hansmeyer

The Role of 3-D Printing in Digital Grotesque Production

Digital Grotesque is entirely 3D printed and is made from sandstone. It has complex geometry which, in turn, consists of millions small facets. Hansmeyer chose to use sand printing technology to create architectural components. These special properties include the ability to print large-format elements up to eight cubic meters with high resolution and accuracy. Other important factors included price and printing speed. There is no need to add costs for embellishments and free form geometries.

The 3D printer used in this image is a printer made by voxeljet. It has dimensions of 4 x 2×1 meters. The 3D printer used in this artwork is not specified by the artist. Digital Grotesque artwork is 0.3mm high per layer. It has a resolution up to 300 dpi. It was printed in two days using sand (silicate), and a binder. Post-processing was also used because this artwork is made from sand. The material, which has also been used for centuries for the construction of churches, temples and other buildings, is removed from the 3D-printed object after the finished 3D printing – of course, only that which was not included in the part and thus only adheres to the work of art. The resin infiltrates the printed sandstone to give it additional stability. Finally, the 3D printed piece was sprayed.

The spraying process (photo credits to Michael Hansmeyer).

Digital Grotesque has a base area measuring six meters by six meters. It rises to a height of 3.2 metres, as mentioned above. Hansmeyer provides the weight in metric tonnes, which is equivalent to 5800kgs at 5.8 tons. The time taken to develop the design took approximately a year, while printing took just a month and final assembly took just one day. Click HERE to learn more about Michael Hansmeyer or Digital Grotesque.

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*Cover Photo Credits: Michael Hansmeyer