caspar berger uses 3D printer to produce skeletal self portraits‘skeleton’ by  caspar berger’image © erik and petra hesmerg

 

 

 

conceived with advanced CT scanning technology, dutch sculptor caspar berger has developed a pilot series of skeletal self portraits in his latest ongoing project ‘skeleton’. using a 3D printer to produce precise reproductions of parts of his skeleton, the developments known as ‘skeleton / self-portrait 20’ and ‘skeleton / self-portrait 21’, incorporate the  artist’s upper arm bone cast in gold and a bronze forensic reconstruction of his face based on the copy of his skull. the aim of the project is to make the invisible tangible in three dimensions – which can be seen through the scans, and physically interpreted as symbols of what remains of us after death.

caspar berger uses 3D printer to produce skeletal self portraits - 2processfrom left to right: 3D printed skull, moulding the skull with silicon image © erik and petra hesmerg 

caspar berger uses 3D printer to produce skeletal self portraits - 3processfrom left to right: mapping the silicon, finalized mould before bronze castingimage © erik and petra hesmerg 

caspar berger uses 3D printer to produce skeletal self portraits - 4after the skull, the first 3D prints arrived

caspar berger uses 3D printer to produce skeletal self portraits - 5wax bones

caspar berger uses 3D printer to produce skeletal self portraits - 6‘skeleton/selfportrait 21’ by caspar berger image © erik and petra hesmerg

caspar berger uses 3D printer to produce skeletal self portraits - 7‘skeleton/selfportrait 20’ cast in gold at museum vrolik, amsterdam image © erik and petra hesmerg 

caspar berger uses 3D printer to produce skeletal self portraits - 8‘skeleton/selfportrait 20’ image © erik and petra hesmerg 

caspar berger uses 3D printer to produce skeletal self portraits - 9detail image © erik and petra hesmerg 

  

‘skeleton – prologue’video courtesy caspar berger