Eric Fischl Bathers
Introduction
Bathers is a series of five large-scale, hand-painted bronze sculptures derived from virtual paintings.
Process03
Virtual painting
Starting as experiments in virtual reality, Fischl produced a series of paintings inspired by his acclaimed beach scenes. The Google Tilt Brush application enabled Fischl to collage motifs together. Suspended in a three-dimensional space, Fischl’s brushstrokes were ‘tissues of colour’ that collectively formed a scene, allowing for additions and subtractions to the composition with the click of a button.
The experience of painting in virtual reality is for me as a painter, both familiar and completely new.
From digital to physical
Processed by Vortic, the Tilt Brush files were sent to Pangolin Editions, the experimental foundry in Gloucestershire, UK, where they were translated into bronze sculptures through a pioneering process. This involved 3D printing the images into sections, painting wax to mimic the texture of paint, casting these parts in bronze, and then welding the artwork back together.
From digital to physical
Processed by Vortic, the Tilt Brush files were sent to Pangolin Editions, the experimental foundry in Gloucestershire, UK, where they were translated into bronze sculptures through a pioneering process. This involved 3D printing the images into sections, painting wax to mimic the texture of paint, casting these parts in bronze, and then welding the artwork back together.
Working backwards from the newest VR technology to the age-old process of bronze casting represents the journey these sculptures have taken. No question about it, we live in an age of technological wonder, and being able to bring together these two disparate technologies is irresistible to me as an artist.
Full circle
The final stage involved Fischl hand-painting the finished compositions. Progressing from digital canvas to physical bronze, ranging from 1.7 to 2 metres in height, Fischl animated each work with a vibrancy that resonates throughout his painting practice.
Full circle
The final stage involved Fischl hand-painting the finished compositions. Progressing from digital canvas to physical bronze, ranging from 1.7 to 2 metres in height, Fischl animated each work with a vibrancy that resonates throughout his painting practice.
‘It feels like a painter’s idea of sculpture.
Works05
Exhibition01
Eric Fischl Bathers
A programme of collaborations between the digital producer Vortic and a guest creator, Artists Projects reconsiders traditional modes of creation through technology. Each project is a unique collaboration – a standalone exploration and expansion of an individual’s practice. With access to state-of-the-art technology, from mixed reality to CGI and AI, participating artists are able to experiment in an alternate medium, creating new works entirely or re-envisioning existing motifs in a digital environment. Past collaborations include Doug Aitken's 2021 exhibition, OPEN, which featured a series of digital artworks within a variety of bespoke environments, complete with spatial audio, video, and animation. Eric Fischl’s creative collaboration with Vortic began in 2022 and marks the first time the artist has worked with virtual reality.