Etienne Poulle, a sculptor from Angers, called on the expertise oftheArts et Métiers campusArts et Métiers to create his exhibition "Rester de marbre"(Remaining Marble). Let's take a look back at this unique collaboration!
Fascinated by a 17th-century marble sculpture of Chevalier Donadieu de Puycharic, Etienne Poulle created a hybrid figure based on this hero, drawing inspiration from "Bakugans®," transformable toys.
A concrete artistic project that draws on the expertise ofArts et Métiers
With a view to creating this hybridization between "classical" sculpture and "modern" mechanisms, the artist called on the expertise of the Arts et Métiers campus Arts et Métiers to model, design, and produce a series of Bakugans®. Several groups of second-year students participated in the development of this mechanism over a period of three years. As the closed form is a sphere, the geometry of the different parts was complex.
After validating the preliminary design with the artist, the school applied its expertise in terms of production processes. The final series draws on multidisciplinary skills: 3D printing, laser cutting, casting (lost wax, green sand, chemical bonded sand, elastomer molds), thermoforming, and machining.
The final object is made of 14 kg of Zamac, aluminum, steel, and polymer, with a mechanism that allows it to take on multiple positions. In the end, the school delivered the five Bakugan® necessary for the exhibition, which Etienne Poulle "dressed" with ceramics, fabrics, and feathers to create his various Bakugan® characters (Poilu de 14-18, Indian).
Arts et Métiers alsoArts et Métiers be where you least expect it, always ready to put its multidisciplinary skills at the service of its partners and offering tailor-made services.
