Last year, artist Chris Templeman began a project in Boston’s Chinatown which had the aim of creating 2,000 plastic roosters using a 3D printer before the end of the Chinese New Year. He now views the project as a success.
The Chinese New Year of the Rooster is now over and the year of the dog begins. As the year of the rooster ends so does a project by artist Chris Templeman.
The project began at the beginning of the Chinese New Year last year and had the aim of spitting out 2,000 tiny sculptures from a 3D printer. Templeman now views the project as a success.
He debuted the 3D printer in Boston’s Chinatown last year and, although he’s faced many issues throughout the year, the machine worked in a vending machine style. To do this, he used an automated outdoor 3D printer.
However, sadly the machine would regularly fail due to being outside. As a result, some of the prints weren’t all successful. “It was a long year,” he says. But, he’s certainly learned a lot about the subtle art of 3D printing.
Saying Goodbye to the 3D Printed Rooster and Hello to the Year of the Dog
Templeman explains that the project became quickly known by locals who would regularly check whether the 3D printer had produced anything. He adds: “It was really interesting that I was able to be a tiny part of people’s routine.”
Each of the prints would take hours to create. As a result, many people would check the machine but would often be unable to take a print home.
When Templeman heard about this, he decided to hold a giveaway with the help of the Rose Kennedy Greenway, who commissioned the project.
Together they created 200 extra roosters and gave them all away to locals who’d been unable to take one of the initial 2,000. Templeman explains that this caused a stir with people lining up to receive one.
Amazingly, they ran out of roosters within the hour. “People were like, ‘I’ve been waiting all year to get one!’” he explains.
Going forward, Templeman explains that one of the roosters will be traveling with the Museum of Fine Arts exhibit. This inclusion is predominantly due to the fact that the roosters were created from a scan of a sculpture at the MFA.
Sadly, they are not creating 3D printed dogs for this year but the project will continue. Templeman even adds that he will help others who want to work with the technology. He says: “It’s a strange expertise I find myself having. If somebody happens to want to print lots of things outdoors I kind of know how to do that now.”
Source: Boston Magazine
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