3D printing exhibition at Aram Gallery, London

By Ellen Himelfarb

Designers have always adopted the latest technology for modelling their work. But in the case of 3D printing, or rapid prototyping, the technology has become the work itself.

A new exhibition at London's Aram Gallery - titled 'Send to Print/Print to Send' - features a collection of items by creatives who have used this cutting-edge technology not only as a means to an end, but to produce finished works of art.

The versatility of the technique - which uses nylon in lieu of ink, then layers it into a pre-programmed 3D form - speaks for itself in the exhibition. Jeweller Silvia Weidenbach teases the polymer into a substitute for ivory to produce intricate bracelets. And British design studio PearsonLloyd fashions it into furniture durable enough to support a person's weight.

Other highlights in the show include the geometric forms of Assa Ashuach's lighting products and the complex series of rings produced by Wallpaper* Handmade collaborator Freedom of Creation.

13 January 2012 | Design