[3D Printing Application] Ultimaker Enters Interactive Fashion Art Exhibition

[3D Printing Application] Ultimaker Enters Interactive Fashion Art Exhibition


The Cincinnati Art Museum is dedicated to promoting creative art-related exhibitions and programs, exploring the relationship between 3D printing and fashion by highlighting the work of designer Iris van Herpen. The museum recently acquired an Ultimaker printer to introduce visitors to the wide range of applications of 3D printing and the value of this technology when combined with scientific and artistic creations.

The avant-garde fashion of the art palace

The Cincinnati Museum of Art is one of the oldest visual arts institutions in the United States, hailed as a "palace of Western art" when it opened on May 17, 1886. Today, the museum boasts over 200,000 square feet of space, 88 galleries, the Mary R. Schiff Library, a laboratory, and much more—attracting approximately 200,000 visitors annually, its encyclopedia houses nearly six million items, including artifacts dating back six thousand years.

This is a recent exhibition by Dutch fashion designer Iris van Herpen, who specializes in 3D-printed clothing ; in addition to creating two new collections each year, van Herpen also participates in exhibitions around the world. The Transforming Fashion exhibition at the Southwest Gallery of the Cincinnati Art Museum runs from October 13, 2017 to January 7, 2018.



Iris van Herpen first incorporated 3D printing into her 2012 Crystallization collection and continues to combine different technologies with her clothing creations; while some of her garments are entirely 3D printed, other accessories are 3D printed and then handcrafted. For Iris, this is the best way to realize her visual visions, allowing fashion to flourish at the Cincinnati Art Museum.

Incorporating fashion trends into creative technology

The exhibition's origins are impressive, a collaboration between the High Museum of Art in Atlanta and the Groninger Museum in the Netherlands. The project was co-curated by Sarah Schleuning of the Atlanta Museum and Mark Wilson and Sue-an van der Zijpp of the Groninger Museum; the Transforming Fashion exhibition encompasses 45 dresses, 9 pairs of shoes, and various samples, allowing guests to interact with the materials used to create these garments.
Because the exhibition is interactive, the museum also displays a 3D printer to emphasize the process of creating this unique garment; by incorporating Ultimaker 3 into the museum’s program during the Iris van Herpen exhibition, Alex Otte Callon, coordinator of the Rosenthal Education Centre (REC), hopes to highlight the immersive 3D printing experience and inspire visitors to think about its possibilities.





"The Rosenthal Education Center has a dedicated interactive space that changes twice a year, with themes including permanent collections, special exhibitions, and elements of art and world culture," Alex said. The 3D printer not only demonstrates how such clothing is made alongside the fashion, but also enhances the interactive element connecting art and education.

A bridge connecting science and art

While Iris van Herpen's work primarily caters to a cutting-edge fashion clientele, Chief Fashion Art and Textile Curator Cynthia Amneus anticipates that the exhibition's technological elements will attract customers from related fields and a broad age range. Cynthia hopes the exhibition will draw in professionals from industries related to Iris, including architecture, engineering, and art; she believes the flexibility of 3D printing is a tool that spans various disciplines, as she has insights into how it can be integrated into design and product development.

Unveiling the Mystery of 3D Printing

The team at the Cincinnati Art Museum were eager to use the Ultimaker printer themselves for the first exhibition. "From the moment we added this exhibition to our calendar, one of our top priorities was setting up the 3D printer on site. 3D printing is still a mystery to the public, and it's important to demystify the process and educate visitors on how to use it," Cynthia explained.



The REC team had to subtly highlight the thinking and design elements involved in 3D printing, which, in Iris van Herpen's case, were often combined with traditional handcrafting. They found that the Ultimaker 3 printer not only seamlessly integrated the setup but was also incredibly easy to use in explaining these methods. The Ultimaker Cura software also facilitated cutting models and easily setting up objects, saving museum time and overcoming learning barriers.
"I prefer the intuitive operation of the Ultimaker Cura software and the automatic operation and completion functions of Ultimaker 3; if I need to make adjustments or add printing materials, it gives me step-by-step instructions." Although Alex was nervous about setting up and using the 3D printer without experience, he was delighted with the ease of use of Ultimaker 3. Thus, the REC team set out to curate an excellent exhibition to highlight Iris van Herpen's impressive innovative techniques.



“Engineering, philosophy, and creativity meet at the van Herpen project,” says Cynthia. Through collaborations with Benthem Crouwel Architects and Rem D. Koolhaas, as well as clients such as Beyoncé, Björk, and Tilda Swinton, van Herpen explores new approaches while pushing fashion to conceptual and inspiring levels. The REC team hopes to encourage fashion-loving clients to explore the world of 3D printing, while those interested in Ultimaker will learn about the unique applications of 3D printing in design.

3D printing in the foreground of the Cincinnati Art Museum

The Ultimaker 3 was stored at the Education Center during the Iris van Herpen exhibition and continues to support various projects to this day; in addition to visitors being able to interact with the printer at the museum, REC staff also use the Ultimaker 3 to print artwork, wearable accessories and other prints.
The team also collaborated with students in the American Design program at Cincinnati University to develop themed prints for the Cincinnati Art Museum and create a model library for use. "This technology isn't currently accessible to everyone, so by opening free educational centers to the public, people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds can learn more about 3D printing and its wide range of applications," Alex said.





The Iris van Herpen exhibition is now complete, and Alex and her team are integrating Ultimaker 3 into other projects around the museum; they will continue to use it for educational purposes and in exhibition design and art conservation departments. 3D printing continues to create breakthroughs, and if you want to learn more about its possibilities, you can refer to our other articles ; if you have great ideas but are struggling with implementation difficulties, we also offer custom printing services, walking alongside you into an innovative future.

Original link: https://ultimaker.com/en/stories/52486-a-study-in-innovative-design-at-the-cincinnati-art-museum