Ananta

Sumit Sarkar provides some background on how he conceived the Ananta exhibition, and the process behind producing the finished work.

Conception of the exhibition

Ananta is a project which has been in development for many years - I have been creating artwork directly inspired by the Hindu pantheon since 1999.

The original R&D phase of Ananta had me exploring the ideas and processes for the exhibition, and it became clear very quickly that I needed to move away from traditional sculptural techniques and go digital, in much the same way as I have with my two-dimensional work.

It was a natural progression to use digital 3D modeling software and rapid prototyping as the definitive solutions for how the sculptures would be designed and produced.

The original proposal included the idea of featuring simple robotics within the sculptures to make them move (breathe), but it was felt that the results would not do the futuristic process of the sculptures justice as it would be difficult to attain realism. So the answer was for some of the pieces to remain within the virtual environment and create 3D animations of the gods.

Shiva – acrylic painting on the walls of the Cornerhouse in Manchester.

The process

The models for the sculptures and animations are made using computer software called Blender, a 3D modelling program used to create meshes within a virtual three-dimensional environment using geometric and sculptural techniques.

The final digital files are then handed over to the rapid prototyping (RP) company who process the data and feed into the machines. Two RP processes have been used to make the Ananta sculptures, selective laser sintering (SLS) and stereolithography (SLA).

SLS is a technique that uses a high power laser to fuse small particles of plastic, metal, ceramic, or glass powders. The laser selectively fuses powdered material by scanning cross-sections on the surface of a powder bed. After each cross-section is scanned, the powder bed is lowered by one layer thickness, a new layer of material is applied on top, and the process is repeated until the part is completed.

SLA is a fabrication process utilising a vat of liquid UV-curable photopolymer "resin" and a UV laser to build parts a layer at a time. On each layer, the laser beam traces a part cross-section pattern on the surface of the liquid resin. Exposure to the UV laser light solidifies the pattern traced on the resin and adheres it to the layer below.

The Ananta animations are created using the same program used to create the models. A variety of techniques are employed to achieve the desired effects; the rigging of meshes to armatures to control movement, timeline sequencing and physics simulations to create material and natural effects (such as clothing or wind).

Rigging 3D meshes to create animations.