In Digitized Artefact, Santtu Mustonen has employed 3D printing to produce a transformed replica of a screwdriver.
As Santtu explains, “The tool had a very strong organic touch because of its material and age. By attaching a few found twigs with a rubber band onto this rusty screwdriver, the instant result was something even more natural and life-like. It transformed into an irregular, organic-looking creature with a very unfinished, sculptural touch.
This quickly assembled sculpture was digitized by phone camera and sent to a 3D printer. After a couple of hours, a perfect, lifeless, bright white copy of the tool sculpture was finished. It now presents itself in stark contrast to the original item – created using futuristic, everyday tools. Modern crafting.”
The resultant artwork retains the intended organic nature while also being reminiscent of heavy artillery and the plastic toy soldiers from childhood. A strange juxtaposition that works exceedingly well when paired with the wooden base.
Santtu Mustonen is a Finnish illustrator living and working in New York City. Organic patterns, natural science and movement inspire his work, which combines handcrafted and analog textures in a digital space. He animates various textures and visual imagery by using a three-dimensional modeling program to alter the space and sense of motion within his dynamic illustrations. Santtu’s clients include Nike, Architecture for Helsinki, Zeit Magazin, Granta Books, Husky Rescue, Wired Magazine, Phish, Flow Festival, The Caravaners, (Capsule), The Red Bull Music Academy, and The New York Times.
Santtu’s work has been exhibited throughout Europe including at Make Your Mark Gallery, G6 poster exhibition, and the 140th anniversary exhibition of the University of Art and Design Helsinki in Helsinki, Pekka of Finland group exhibition for Dutch Design Week in the Netherlands and for Recyclart Art Center in Brussels, and Illustrative Festival in Berlin.
Santtu has been featured in numerous publications including Computer Arts Collection Publication, Sight Unseen Paper View, Viewpoint Trend Forecasting magazine, and Super Paper.