C h r i s t i a n L a v i g n e
> ROBOSCULPTURE <
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Planete Bleue, Or noir

PLANÈTE BLEUE, OR NOIR
(1986)
low-relief
in altuglas cut by laser

Contrary to a widely received idea, materials for the artist are not either noble or base; materials are only suited to, useful for carrying out his aesthetic plans -or they aren't. BLUE PLANET, DARK GOLD testifies to that principle. This low relief originates from the conjunction of an artistic process connected with sciences and some plastic industrialists' desire to present a different image of their products to the public.

The work thus recalls the successive transformations of matter through the agency of man or nature. So, many techniques belonging to plastic work have been employed opportunely for making it: cutting by cnc laser, oaming, extrusion, slowing, casting, injection, etc.

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Hommage aux Peuples de la Mer

HOMMAGE
AUX PEUPLES DE LA MER

(1989)
low-relief and marqueterie
in fluorescent altuglas
cut by laser
(robosculpture)

HOMMAGE TO PEOPLES OF SEA is a symbolical low-relief, evoking maritime civilisations and their environments. This vast composition is made of a triptych: FIRST OCEAN, SECOND OCEAN, THIRD OCEAN; and a mural sculpture: THE FISH-MAN LAUGHTER.

Placed in public room of Colombes' post office -near Paris-, this work belong to my experiences about ROBOSCULPTURE : After create HOMMAGE TO PEOPLES OF SEA by a computer (that I programmed according to my Graphenes aesthetics), the composition was digitalized for a precision laser cutting. So, its metacrylate coloured pieces were exactly intoduced in the three colourless prop.

The technical feat is appreciable: triptych's figures seem to be floating in space -like a marquetry without support, or a leaded glass window without brace. Moreover, metacrylates are fluorescent and specialy lighted by UV lamps.

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Coupe delphique I

COUPE DELPHIQUE
(1993-94)
robosculpture realized
with AFPA Verdun, France

My robosculpture named "COUPE DELPHIQUE", is a good example of NC machining applied to scuplture, and also a great demonstration of complementarity between an artist and ingeneer or teacher. It's very difficult for a professional artist to have access to new technological machines: they are too expansive or too complicated. Vice versa, generally these machines don't make exciting objects, aesthetic and mediatic. So, the meeting of artist and engineer, when respect and confidence are present, is increasing both's standing.

Coupe delphique II One can realize his works, discovering new artistic solutions; the other can express his best know-how, resolve original problems, and, at least, devise new technological process, more sophisticated, usefull for industry. I know that professor MICHEL THALY has become a specialist of 3D NC machining, because of my "frightning" COUPE DELPHIQUE !

As the artist, I'm most satisfied with the result, in accordance with my symbolic processes, here alluding to Delphes' Pythia.

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chant cosmique

CHANT COSMIQUE
(1994-1995)
[ >.> 3D picture ]
stereolithographic robosculpture
realized with ÉCOLE CENTRALE


COSMIC SONG is a stereolithographic robosculpture realized in ÉCOLE CENTRALE DE PARIS. This sculpture is a poetic use of mathematically bended spheres. A successive and intuitive choice of parameters led the work toward a hoped harmony.

Truly, it's like a musical composition, inspired by mythologies about cosmos as resonant universe (cf Plato). Here, the computer isn't only a display machine for imagination, but also a tool for producing data convertible into physical objects. New artistic dreams are well served by stereolithography.

chant cosmique The artist who uses complex technology isn't a lone man in a romantic ivory tower! He rediscovers the guild spirit, he needs a chain of talents to make the project successfull. His studio is a network of which the main quality is human first.


chant cosmique


Many thanks to ALAIN BERNARD, CREATE's director in ÉCOLE CENTRALE, and to GEORGES TAILLANDIER, AFPR president, who realized the stereolithography. Many thanks to ADRIAN SCHULTHESS of CIBA-GEIGY Research Center, who gave us special resin. Special thanks to ANTON BAKKER, who helped me to make the right file of my sculpture on his computer, and to JOEL HUGUENIN, master caster, who realized a bronze cast from my work.

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trophee

TROPHÉE DEUBLIN
(1995)
robosculpture realized in resin
with inclusion and water jet cutting,
for fiftieh anniversary of Deublin Inc.

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le verre

LE VERRE DE L'AMITIÉ / A GLASS FOR FRIENDSHIP
(1995)
[ >.> VRML picture ]
LOM process from Helisys Inc.

LE VERRE DE L'AMITIÉ / A GLASS FOR FRIENDSHIP was specially thought for INTERSCULPT95, 1st interactive and simultaneous exhibition on computer sculpture. IS'95 both took place in Paris and Philadelphia, from October, 24 to November, 7 of 1995.

It was first a telesculpture project (using Internet) to realize same pieces at the same time both in France and USA with a rapid prototyping machine (LOM / Helisys Inc.). Two originals would have been presented for a "virtual transatlantic cocktail" during inauguration of InterSculpt95 , with the Picturetel videoconferencing system.

But sponsoring was not ready in the States. The French part of this work was realized by M. Thierry Valladeau in Parangon Inc., Directed by M. Pierre Auffret. Parangon have also made a piece from Stewart Dickson, received by the Net.

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emergence

L'ÉMERGENCE
(1994-1995)
robosculpture realized
with AFPA Verdun, France

émergence. n.f.(1498, dépendance)
(in English: see your usual dictionnary!)

-1.(1720). Sortie d'un liquide, d'un fluide: émergence d'une source
-2.Biol. Apparition, dans une lignée animale ou végétale, d'un organe entièrement nouveau et fonctionnel.
-3.(1888). Bot. Organe saillant de la tige, recouvert par l'épiderme (aiguillon de ronce, par ex.)
-4. Philos. Apparition brusque d'une chose ou d'une notion ŕ partir d'une autre: l'émergence de valeurs nouvelles.
-5. Opt. Point d'Émergence, point d'où sort un rayon lumineux ayant traversé un mileu.

This work was realized in altuglas by a 3-axes milling machine programed by MICHEL DEGLAIRE, teatcher in AFPA de VERDUN (55) (YVES JADOT Manager).

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ASTARTÉ, QUEEN OF AFRICA

a robosculpture made in altuglas
water jet cut
by CRITT TECHNIQUES JET FLUIDE ET USINAGE
at Bar-le-Duc (55-Meuse)

This work is inspired by ancient eastern mythology. Astarte was a godess of love and war.

Astarte is a Phenician name for Ishtar, ambivalent mesopotamian godess: Star of Sunrise, she is bellicose; Star of Sunset, she is a voluptuous lover.

Astarte temples could be found in Tyr, Cartharge and Cyprus. Herodotus said that every woman, in Babylon, a time at least in her life, must to sit down somewhere in the temple's godess, and must to wait a stranger who gives her some money, saying: "Give yourself in the name of the godess!". She have to follow him and to make love with him (sacral prostitution).

These myth and rituals are good exemples of timeless symbolic crossbreeding. Everybody can understand the story of Astarte. Perhaps, godess cult have also taken place in Black Africa; however that may be, this character is an interesting subject for deep thought on African woman status.

P r e p a r a t o r y D r a w i n g s

This sculpture was designed by computer, with mathematical curves and numerized silhouette of real black girls.

CAD-CAM files are created to command a water jet cuting machine, in order to cut thick Altuglas. Then, pieces are assembled to make the sculpture.

The water jet cut is very efficient for thick materials.

The principle is to use a very thin and very high pressure water jet, which position is calculated by a computer. The water is pure or mixed with abrasive particles. this tool have a great strength!

Since 1985, in Bar-le-Duc, a public research center is devoted to innovation in this high tech technology.

Without the know-how of CRITT TECHNIQUE JET FLUIDE ET USINAGE, a sculpture like "Astarte" is unworkable.

First, this Center create CAD-CAM softwares for water jet cuting machines.

Second, it realize a data bank about materials properties under high pressure water jet.


Many thanks to:

for their help and their work.

Thanks too for Atohaas, which regularly provide me Altuglas.


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LE PAYS DE KOUSH

altuglas robosculpture
realized by laser cutting
created with Autocad™
produced in 2 copy
signed and numbered

This artwork refer to Black Africa, and its name is an allusion to the ancient Egyptian name of Nubia during Antiquity: the country of Koush.

That's a symbolic sculpture talking about meeting/blending of cultures.
Let me said it in french!

L'influence des cultures africaines sur la civilisation occidentale ne date certes pas de l'apparition des rythmes afro-américains! Un des fondements majeurs de l'Egypte ancienne se trouve au delà de la 3ème cataracte, dans la haute vallée du Nil, dont les créations, bien antérieures à la période pharaonique, ont toujours migré vers le Nord depuis la Préhistoire. L'Egypte dynastique propose de ce fait une sorte de modèle exemplaire du métissage des cultures, modèle qui n'est pas sans intérêt pour notre époque moderne, aux brassages mondiaux d'idées et de populations.

La sculpture évoque certains éléments traditionnels de la vie africaine: on peut y reconnaître une sorte de baobab, une case ou un grenier, un groupe de danseuses, une femme faisant une offrande, etc. Des symboles plus abstraits sont également discernables, comme la croix Ankh, résumant le principe de la vie.

Mais avant toute explication savante, cette oeuvre incite tout simplement à la réverie. La pureté des formes dessinées, des silhouettes numérisées, le choix des altuglas noirs ou transparents, les effets de lumière et la variété des points de vue possibles, sont autant d'invitations à un voyage poétique et sensuel.

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TROPHÉE CORSE
(1998)

altuglas robosculpture
realized by laser cutting
created with Autocad™


This artwork is a kind of tribute to the Corse island.

I used a very old map of "Ile de Beauté" and the traditionnal figure of Moroco head.

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[ b a c k ]