3D clay printer in the Princessehof

Starting this spring, the Princessehof will cast a spotlight on design. A new series of design exhibitions began on 27 February with Olivier Herpt and his homemade 3D clay printer. With this device, the successful young designer is breaking new ground in the creation of ceramic objects. The clay is printed layer by layer, giving the ceramic objects a fine, smooth texture that is unachievable by hand. See the machine and the printed objects at the exhibition Design # 1 Olivier Herpt, which runs until 2 October 2016.

Olivier Herpt uses his 3D printer to form a bridge between technology and craftsmanship. The printer is extremely sensitive to external stimuli and vibrations, which means the machine can be influenced while printing. Clay is also a fickle material, so coincidence plays a role too. The result is an artisanal product, made with the latest technology. The 30 exhibited objects vary greatly in colour, size, shape and texture, from a broad, dark object with a rough texture to a slender, delicate vase. Herpt will demonstrate his printer several times during the exhibition.

Sound art

The exhibition not only showcases solo works by Van Herpt, but also objects that emerged from collaborations. Along with sound artist Ricky Van Broekhoven, Herpt experimented with the effects of noise on the production process: sound waves affect the texture of the printed objects. The resulting object visualises the sound that is being made. Van Herpt also collaborated with designer Sander Wassink. Together they developed ‘Adaptive Manufacturing’. For this, they scanned the cross-section of a tree trunk and translated it for the printer. This resulted in irregular shapes in the printed ceramics. The result may seem arbitrary, but it is influenced by the growth rings of the tree.

Design # 1

In recent years ceramics have once again become a focus of attention. National and international media write about this emergence of ceramics in terms of a mature art and a craft. Designers are also discovering the tradition and the craftsmanship of ceramic artists. New developments in design and production methods occur on a regular basis. The Princessehof explores these changes with a new annual series of design exhibitions under the name Design #.

Design Academy

Olivier Herpt (1989) graduated from the Design Academy Eindhoven only very recently, but his career has taken a flying start. He received the Keep an Eye Grant, fellow designers like to work with him, and after exhibitions in Milan and Paris, his work is now on display in New York.