AN UPDATE FROM BEN KRONE:
Our collaboration has been truly organic. Every few weeks we meet to discuss ideas and the range of possibilities for translating the work, as well as the limitations of the machining tools. With each subsequent meeting, conversations turn to ideas, ideas become manifest in sketches, and eventually, physical objects. While the steps are generally the same, each artist's engagement with the process varies dramatically, enriching all of the work.
We've spent a good amount of time equipping the artists with a deep understanding of exactly how the CNC milling tools operate. It's usually done by spending time together in the fabrication shop and observing the machine's output. We pair the observations with careful study of an array of finished products. Articles, paintings, sketches, advertisements, and music have changed hands as conduits for the development of ideas.
The true challenge has been adapting the approach to incorporate the different tools each artist uses, accommodating the changes in material palette, and bridging the gap in language between artistic trades.
