caspar berger uses 3D printer to produce skeletal self portraits‘skeleton’ by caspar berger’image © erik and petra hesmerg

conceived with advanced CT scanning technology, dutch sculptor caspar berger has developed a pilot series of skeletal self portraits in his latest ongoing project ‘skeleton’. using a 3D printer to produce precise reproductions of parts of his skeleton, the developments known as ‘skeleton / self-portrait 20’ and ‘skeleton / self-portrait 21’, incorporate the artist’s upper arm bone cast in gold and a bronze forensic reconstruction of his face based on the copy of his skull. the aim of the project is to make the invisible tangible in three dimensions – which can be seen through the scans, and physically interpreted as symbols of what remains of us after death.

processfrom left to right: 3D printed skull, moulding the skull with silicon image © erik and petra hesmerg processfrom left to right: mapping the silicon, finalized mould before bronze castingimage © erik and petra hesmerg after the skull, the first 3D prints arrived wax bones

‘skeleton/selfportrait 21’ by caspar berger image © erik and petra hesmerg

‘skeleton/selfportrait 20’ cast in gold at museum vrolik, amsterdam image © erik and petra hesmerg

‘skeleton/selfportrait 20’ image © erik and petra hesmerg

detail image © erik and petra hesmerg

‘skeleton – prologue’video courtesy caspar berger