The World’s Largest Titanium 3D Printed Sculpture is Coming to Auckland

Max Patte, the artist behind Wellington’s landmark ‘Solace in the Wind’ bronze sculpture of a man leaning towards the sea, will soon unveil the world’s largest titanium 3D printed sculpture as part of his upcoming Auckland exhibition, The Max Patte Experience. Standing at 185cm, the work is based on smaller scale pieces representing a man in metamorphosis.

As the former head of Weta Workshop’s sculpture department, Patte is no stranger to enlisting skilled technicians to realise works. As luck would have it, the world's largest titanium 3D printer sits right here in Auckland and the proprietors Zenith Technica were onboard to construct the piece. Specialising in turning CAD models into metal and usually utilised for medical devices, components for aerospace, marine and industry or high-end sports performance applications, Zenith Technica uses supremely impressive sounding Electron Beam Melting technology to effectively print objects by melting successive layers of metal powder together.

A prime example of blending of art and technology, Electron Beam Melting could be considered a modern cousin of lost-wax casting – the traditional sculpture method used for ‘Solace in the Wind’. As with lost-wax casting, material is added to exact specifications rather than removed, resulting in minimal waste products and an environmentally friendly manufacturing process. Ethically minded art enthusiasts rejoice. The sculpture will undergo a paint job before exhibiting with Patte’s intricately created light works – another practice which melds art with technology, as industrial materials are given creative application with stunning results.

The Max Patte Experience opens during Auckland Art Week and will be available to view between October 15 - 24 at the Allpress Gallery on Drake Street. Patte will engage in an Artist Talk at Allpress Gallery at 10pm on Saturday 17 October. Spaces are limited so email [email protected] to reserve a spot.

Image: Max Patte, Revision, Division, Subdivision. 2014.