BRITNEY SAYWELL

Working with a range of digital art methods I have gained new understanding to the possibilities of Digitally fabricated items. I am interested in replication. To what point can a three dimensional digitally fabricated representation of an existing item mimic the essence of something? I have seen how precise a machine can mimic an object. However, can a machine mimic the sound of existing object?

I have used Bamboo and the concept of a bamboo chime to exercise my findings. Testing, Challenging and discovering the relationship between the sound or and existing object and a replicated sound through use of machinery.

Working with the bamboo form I have explored replicated sounds. My first 3D print of a chime held great success. The sound matched that of a real bamboo chime. I expanded from here by experimenting with different adjustment to the bamboo form. The organic form created by the 3D prints was completely separate from the existing bamboo grown in real life.

I stepped to an exercise involving the real bamboo and the introduction of a machine. How would the sound differ. Would I see greater value in sound of the simple form of bamboo or would I regard the mechanically altered bamboo to be of greater value?

Reflecting on the discovers and my noticed interest on value I am going to steer in a different direction away from representations of bamboo. The bamboo doesn’t hold the substance in medium or material that a discussion of value requires.

The mimicking and representations of existing objects captures my attention. I am now wondering, What can a machine- made or manufactured object not mimic? where do the limitations led me?