Czech artist Matyáš Chochola has unveiled a new installation featuring twelve large-scale 3D printed concrete sculptures at the EPO1 Contemporary Art Center in Trutnov, Czech Republic. The installation, titled “The Virtues and Vices of Our Time,” draws inspiration from Matthias Bernard Braun’s 18th-century Baroque cycle while incorporating modern manufacturing techniques.
Each sculpture stands between 3 to 4 meters tall and weighs approximately one ton. The pieces combine various architectural and artistic styles, including elements from antiquity, cubism, brutalism, and science fiction, creating distinct forms that resemble temple ruins or chess pieces.
The production process utilized advanced concrete 3D printing technology with several technical innovations. To achieve complex geometries beyond standard printable angles, the team employed lightweight clay aggregates as supports. The sculptures were printed in multiple segments both horizontally and vertically before assembly, with additional elements including glass, pigments, and bronze incorporated by hand.
The twelve sculptures feature working titles such as Mace I and II, Anemone, Totem, Tires, Brutalist, Cubist, Basalt, Baobab, Picasso, Tree Spirit, and Meteor. According to Chochola, “The sculptures and their unique characters, relationships, and references to various historical styles, cultures, or values have no clear continuity — they are incorporated freely into the sculptures. They carry both positive and negative qualities, mixed into an original cocktail.”
The installation is currently housed in a gallery space at the former industrial complex turned cultural center. Plans are in place to eventually relocate the sculptures to a permanent public installation, where they will interact with the surrounding architecture and environment.
Source: designboom.com