Interactive CAD/CAM drawing machine by Belgian 'Indianen"

The name of Belgian collective 'De Indianen' refers to native American people and their nomadic existence. The group was founded in 2008, the members are Tim Knapen, Andreas Depauw, Steven Holsbeeks en Wout Bosschaert.
True to their name the group and their work has been travelling in The Netherlands, Belgium and beyond, profiling their research about an aesthetic and specific 'style' in graphic design.  
During a working period in the autumn at AGA they focussed on the BOUNDLESS theme and program. The result was shown at the annual Amsterdam Art event - 'Kunstvlaai' - in november. The 'Indianen' involved the public in their experiment with a computerized drawing machine. Their self built CAD/CAM drawing machine makes drawings without the actual interference of an artist's hand! 
In the 'Longhand printshop' visitors could design their own posters by choosing from a selection of fonds, illustrations and ornaments.

The CAD/CAM drawing machine is in fact a plotter which can direct a brush or pen and even vary the degree of pressure executed by the machine on paper. It can draw on a 90 x 50 cm square of paper.
In their experiment and research the 'Indianen' want to develop a specific style of drawing with their machine, comparable to the typical style of other graphic techniques, i.e. screenprinting or etching.

CAD/CAM pen

examples of drawing lines

part of CAD/CAM drawing tool

antique example of typography

example of typography

Kunstvlaai 23 november - 2 december 2012
http://www.wereldderindianen.be/

http://www.kunstvlaai.nl/2012/

Phantom Galaxy of two balloons and a printer scanner

Isabelle Andriessen
For the BOUNDLESS exhibition I show the comprehensive installation Phantom Galaxy.
It consists of a printer-scanner with a glass box on top of the flatbed. The glass box locks two balloons in constant battle, dancing on a current of air springing forth from a fan placed next to the box.

During the exhibition the printer-scanner tries to crystallize the friction between the balloons, by continuously scanning their interaction. Going from fourdimensional to flat the resulting scans are transmitted from the printer-scanner to another room for projection as a live stream. The projected images cannot only be seen in CBK during the BOUNDLESS project, but also through the Internet, for as long as the work is on display.
On Saturdays and special events Phantom Galaxy will be displayed as a performance. (exact time schedule will be placed on this blog soon) Only on these days will the printer-scanner actually print a limited edition of this choreography of chance.
The installation is the incarnation of how the arbitrary movement of two balloons suddenly refers to a phenomenon like our galaxy. The ballet of the balloons touches on the sublime, chance and beauty. Many gracious movements might be lost and many interchangeable images might be captured by the scanner. But all we get is a trivial chance view on these sublime moments, in which we can only desire to catch a glimpse on the elusive beauty of impermanence.

www.isabelleandriessen.nl