The idea for this exhibition began as a way to explore unique kinds of 3D printing materials. One of the unique things that I noticed when looking at the wide variety of plastics that can be used in 3D printing was that a few had natural properties. One of these materials included plastic that had a portion of saw dust mixed in to give it some of the properties of wood. Another of these materials added carbon fibers into the plastic to give the end result added rigidity. With both of these materials, natural additives are added to plastic in order to give it desirable properties. When I came across this it gave me the idea to take these materials and use them to print out organic shapes relating back to their base material. These models are photographed and displayed alongside digitally rendered counterparts of the printed models. With the gallery space being digital, viewers will be able to move around the 3D models and experience them with the photographed work. This work explores many themes such as the role of technology in our society and the ways in which it is helpful or harmful to us as a whole. With technological advances we could see man made plants, animals, and even humans. With these organic materials there would be an interesting distinction that needs to be made as to what makes something alive and what doesn’t. Augmentation and repair is going to be a realistic possibility for the medical field in the near future and we may need to decide at what point is a human no longer a human?
Andrew Barrios is an artist born and raised in San Jose, California. He creates artwork in several forms of media from traditional artworks such as paintings and sculptures, to digital artworks such as interactive experiences and 3D modeling. With a focus on technology he often utilizes processes such as 3D printing and coding to bring his artwork to life. Andrew has participated in several group shows during his time at San José State University and will graduate with a BFA degree in Digital Media Art in Spring 2021. Andrew works in a variety of media and material and enjoys exploring each of them to find and expand his breadth of techniques. Craftsmanship and technical detail are some of the key aspects of art that influence everything that he creates. He often works in a minimalist style and prefers to let the materials and forms tell the stories for him. Andrew’s art focuses on realistic and often somber tones while still offering a hopeful or satirical outlook.
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