The last time Joshua Harker took to Kickstarter, the 3D-printing artist broke records—his “Crania Anatomica” became the most funded sculptural project in the history of the platform. His second project, “Anatomica di Revolutis” (roughly, “Anatomy of a Revolution”), is a three-piece hanging sculpture that expands on past themes. The centerpiece of this work is the “Crania Anatomica,” a miniature of which wesent to subscribers earlier this year as part of our involvement with Quarterly Co. The skull is a dazzling filigree that represents to Harker the end of an age and the beginning of what he calls the third industrial revolution.
Beneath the skull, a pair of wings hang in an homage to the phoenix. Made from 75 mechanical pieces, the wings are mobilized by pulling a dangling chain. At the bottom of the chain hangs a pyramid that shows an eye, a mouth and an ear on each side—a reference to the Japanese maxim “hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil.” Each body part is mobilized by toggling a crossed heart that hangs below the pyramid.
The work of art is meant to symbolize the new state of information and manufacturing, one in which crowd funding, 3D printing and shared software combine to create a democratic, international economic model. Currently, you can pledge $550 to receive the full set (or less to receive individual pieces). And don’t worry about unfulfilled incentives—Harker had a perfect track record with his last set, delivering rewards to all 955 backers in an eight week period.
