Joshua Harker on the Third Industrial Revolution

The First Industrial Revolution involved some of the first complex mechanical machines, improved water and steam power, and the transition from wood to coal as a fuel source, which allowed for easier forging of iron. The Second Industrial Revolution was the beginnings of assembly lines, the spread of electricity, and the production of steel. Though some are dismissive of the facts, we’re currently experiencing a Third Industrial Revolution. You may remember Joshua Harker’s Crania Anatomica Filigre and Anatomica di Revolutis 3D printed sculptures, both funded (sold) through Kickstarter. Recently he was invited to speak at TEDxBringhamptonUniversity about his latest piece, Anatomica di Revolutis (Anatomy of the Revolution), and how it signifies the Third Industrial Revolution. Enjoy:

Though his “tangles” art had depth even in 2D, Harker explains that he really wanted it to be 3D. But all of his attempts at manually sculpting his pieces fell short of his imagination, so he moved on to body forms that he could accurately capture. Eventually he needed money for rent, so he started modeling commercial toys and other less enthusiastic things. Finally he could afford to start his own studio, which was stocked with bleeding-edge 3D printers as soon as he could buy them. For a while his work was very geometric, supplying signage and designing mechanical objects. After becoming fairly adept at CAD however, he got back to his tangles. It took some time, but he successfully 3D printed his work, first in plastic, then in his dream material, bronze. People didn’t quite get the achievement though. So he began studying anatomy and facial reconstruction, leading him to create faces from the scanned skulls of mummies. All of the skulls inspired Joshua to create Crania Anatomica Filigre, which blended his tangles with a statement people could get behind.

To get the rest of the story behind Anatomica di Revolutis you’re going to have to watch the video. Trust me, it’s worth it.

  • http://www.mainefablab.org Sarah Boisvert

    Love Josh’s work! BTW he is a curator in our Juried 3DPrinted art show in Maine this spring!