Post digital artist humanoise (Taketo Kobayashi) utilises Mimaki’s full colour 3D printing technology to push the physical boundaries of his transformative artwork. Following his first exhibition in Amsterdam (“Digital G-O-D”), he shares how 3D printing became central to his creative process.
When did you start incorporating 3D printing technology into your artistic practice?
I grew up building robots out of empty cardboard boxes, so when I started using CG software, it just felt like a natural extension of what I was already doing. I’d actually known about 3D printing since the ’90s, but back then the cost of owning and operating one was very high. The first time I 3D printed my own artwork was in 2011 for an art collaboration project – XSENSE, developed and produced with artist Sense – where I used a nylon SLS printer at the Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Technology Research Institute. Seeing the 3D data I’d only seen on screen suddenly take a physical form, was, and still is, an incredible feeling.
I began using Mimaki’s 3D printer almost by lucky coincidence. Back in 2017, shortly after Mimaki released the 3DUJ-553, the company was planning an 3D art exhibition called ‘Ultra Modelers’ in Osaka. I was invited to join as one of the artists and ended up helping to organise the show as well.
What makes 3D printing such an exciting and unique tool for experimental creatives like yourself?
In traditional sculpture, you’re always negotiating with the material - how it behaves and how to work with it using the tools you have. With 3D printing, especially when you’re designing it in CG software, you’re almost entirely freed from physical limitations, creating forms that would be nearly impossible to make by hand or with traditional tools. For example, hollow structures with complex internal geometries, or pieces made up of thousands or even millions of tiny components.
Of course, once you actually print the piece, gravity and material strength come back into the equation as you still need to think about structure, wall thickness, supports, and so on, but the design phase is much freer. I’ve found 3D printing helps to push forward both our creativity and our way of thinking as artists.
Can you walk us through your creative process when working with 3D printing?
Every 3D printer has its own quirks and strengths, so understanding those characteristics and using them to their full potential is vital, and I treat it as a collaborator in the artistic process, rather than just a tool. When I create high end art pieces, especially ones with complex textures or full colour, I use Mimaki’s full colour 3D printers. The 3DUJ-553, used together with Mimaki’s Pure Clear Ink, is especially effective for creating the clear and transparent elements that define many of my works.
That being said, I often collaborate with companies who specialise in 3D printing, as their expertise can help me further leverage the technology in creative, unexpected ways. Their generous support is a major motivator for me to keep creating and pushing boundaries, not just for myself, but to showcase what these tools can do.
Your work has a distinct and recognisable aesthetic. What makes it unique, and how does 3D printing technology help define that vision?
My aesthetic is a fusion of the animistic spirit of Jomon period Japan, contemporary Japanese subcultures like manga and anime, and a psychedelic sensibility created through digital technologies. The Jomon period (around 15,000 to 3,000 years ago) was a broadly peaceful time in Japanese history and during this period a lot of incredibly intricate pottery was created. So, for me, fusing these ancient designs with modern digital technology is what defines “contemporary art.”
Before I started using Mimaki’s full colour 3D printer, my focus was more on the shape itself. But the full colour technology opened a new door, allowing me to inject more psychedelic energy into my work. Now, I can express both the physical and the spiritual through vibrant, detailed colour, bringing my ideas to life in a brand new way.
You recently curated the DIGITAL G-O-D exhibition in Amsterdam. As its European debut, how was it received by visitors?
Most visitors at DIGITAL G-O-D Amsterdam had never encountered the kind of printing technology we showcased - especially full colour 3D printing. So, I was thrilled to see them engage with the artwork not only visually but also on a material level. For example, my kaiju piece, with its transparent shell and detailed structure inside, drew a lot of attention - some people even thought it was made from glass.
Personally, I find that creating these moments of cultural exchange via showcasing Japanese subcultures abroad helps bring a fresh perspective to my work and drives me to pursue more international projects.
As a “post digital” artist, do you combine 3D printing with other technologies?
Yes, as a post digital artist, I feel a responsibility to stay on the front lines of technology, but also to question it. Most recently, I’ve been interested in the idea of putting a “soul” into something that’s technically soulless, like digital data. In Japan, some objects are believed to have spirit, for example “tsukumo-gami”, which are old tools or household items that gain a soul after many years. To explore this idea of what does and doesn’t have a soul, I combine digital and analogue processes.
For one project, I sculpted a textured base layer on canvas using modelling paste, then printed the AI-generated image on top using Mimaki’s JFX200 flatbed printer. The result feels like a hybrid, with digital aesthetics grounded on a handmade, physical foundation.
What does the future hold for 3D printing in the art world?
I believe the future of 3D printing in the art world depends on how we, as artists, reframe its role. Right now, many traditional galleries still see 3D printing as tied to design and prototyping and lacking the “soul” of traditional craft. But that view is already beginning to shift.
In my practice, I use it as a kind of spiritual mechanism, a way to bring back ancient animism with cutting edge technology. I think the future lies in this kind of fusion: using algorithms, plastic, and code, just as we have used clay to create sculptures for thousands of years.
I think 3D printing will take on a more prominent role as experimental trends within posthumanism, neo-spirituality, and techno-animism grow in popularity, and as artists begin to emphasise prints’ materiality - the textures, imperfections, and physical presence — rather than just its precision.
Could you give us a sneak peek into your upcoming plans?
After the success we saw in Amsterdam, my co-curator Chinny and I have been talking about taking DIGITAL G-O-D on a tour across Europe, visiting major cities and collaborating with more amazing artists.
We always say: if we can imagine it, we can make it happen, so stay tuned!
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