Expansion Field, Zentrum Paul Klee, Bern, Switzerland
5 September – 11 January 2014
Expansion Field was first presented at the Zentrum Paul Klee as a large-scale installation comprising 60 individual sculptures fabricated from Corten steel. Derived from different postures of the human body, the work explores the relationship between body, space and structure through a disciplined orthogonal arrangement that establishes a strong dialogue with Renzo Piano's organic architectural setting.
During my collaboration with Antony Gormley, I developed the parametric design system that underpinned the formation of each sculpture. Starting from digital volumes abstracted from scans of the artist's body in a series of distinct poses, I created a computational process that allowed these forms to expand, adapt and occupy the field while maintaining a coherent relationship between individual pieces and the overall installation.
The project explored how a simple set of geometric rules could generate a wide range of spatial outcomes. By controlling the transformation of the original body-derived volumes through an algorithmic framework, I was able to develop a family of related forms that retained traces of the human figure while becoming increasingly architectural and abstract.
In parallel, I developed custom digital tools to translate the design geometry directly into fabrication-ready information, creating a seamless workflow between concept, design and manufacture. This process enabled precise control over the evolution of each sculpture and ensured the integrity of the work at every scale, from the individual element to the larger field condition.
The resulting installation invites visitors to move through a landscape of body-derived forms, experiencing the work not as a collection of isolated objects but as a coherent spatial environment in which the human figure, geometry and architecture become inseparable.
Image credits: Antony Gormley Studio
Image credits: Antony Gormley Studio
