Mesh of Tree Roots(2024) is a Phygital Sculpture designed by Jake Tan(SG) and Ernest Wu(SG) of SERIAL CO_(SG), crafted by Kihara Porcelain(JP), commissioned by SUPERMAMA(SG) for the New Nanyang(2024, JP + SG) Exhibition. Combining the perception of life from the perspective of plants, the questioning of modern day 3D data structures and combining culture and craftsmanship, Mesh of Tree Roots is an amalgamation of exploring the fringes and intersectionalities between nature, data and culture. The work exists primarily in 2 states, an analogue state, represented by a Vase Sculpture, and the digital state, a pre-rendered generative visual.
In its digital state, we see the 3D data output of medical imagery from an MRI Scanner of the hydrogen atoms in a Japanese Pepper Bonsai. The data is then distorted through a perline noise algorithm randomly every second. The distorted data structure of the tree is juxtaposed with the physical form of the vase.
In the analogue state, the sculpture showcases the intricate patterns of tree roots scanned through an MRI Machine of a Bonsai Tree. The pattern is the result of unwarping and rewrapping the tree's topology onto the vase's physical form, forming an anamorphic projection of a part of the Bonsai on the vase. The pattern is then carefully calibrated to ensure highest precision and thinnest lines possible to be Blending digital and the analogue together, SERIAL CO_ adds a touch of ‘digital breath’ onto an object that is crafted meticulously in Japan.
Kihara Porcelain is a Japanese porcelain-producing company based in Arita, a renowned historical porcelain town with a 400-year legacy. The company is forward-looking, and dedicated to exploring novel and innovative avenues to showcase Arita porcelain globally. It aspires to contribute to the legacy of Arita porcelain for the next 400 years and beyond.
Glazed artwork on Porcelain Vase
D8cm (Top), D8.2cm (Bottom), H14cm
Comes with an authenticity card