Art installation scans plants and prints sculptures of growth

By David Pescovitz at 10:38 am Tuesday, Feb 16

David Bowen created a robotic art installation that laser scans an onion plant every 24 hours and uses a 3D printer to fabricate plastic models illustrating the plant's growth. After each sculpture is completed, it moves ahead on the conveyor belt to make way for the next one. The piece, titled growth modeling device, won a grand prize in the 13th Japan Media Arts Festival. From the artist's statement:

growth modeling device is an installation based on the rate of growth and structure of an onion plant. The system plays the roles of observer and creator, providing a limited an mechanical perspective of a changing living object. It attempts to replicate nature through the eyes of a simple laser device into a base industrial material, turning what was once organically dynamic into a flat sterile reproduction.

growth modeling device (Thanks, Mark Pescovitz)