Layers of Tacarigua: Bespoke Object Final

Layers of Tacarigua is a 3D-printed ceramic sculpture inspired by a pre-Columbian artifact from what is now Venezuela. The form echoes the so-called “Venus” of Tacarigua—an object often interpreted through a fertility lens, though its original meaning remains uncertain. By reimagining this figure through contemporary processes, the work explores how ancestral forms can be revisited and recontextualized in the present.

While the sculpture was digitally modeled and machine-printed in clay, the process was deeply hands-on. I stayed close throughout the print, monitoring its structure, drying fragile sections with a heat gun, and stepping in to prevent collapse. After printing, I hand-carved additional details, reintroducing a tactile, human element to a process often associated with automation.

The piece exists in a space between worlds—between Tacarigua and Calgary, the past and the speculative future, the handmade and the mechanically produced. Clay, a material long tied to land, tradition, and survival, becomes a medium for both remembrance and innovation.

There’s an uncanny beauty in watching an object take form layer by layer—something almost birth-like in witnessing its creation. Knowing the original object has been linked to themes of fertility (however tentatively), this act of watching over its remaking carries added weight. It’s a gesture of care, of bridging distance, and of imagining new ways to engage with heritage in diaspora.

Timelapse

A timelapse of the printing process reveals a collaboration between human and machine—an object born not just from code, but from memory, intention, and attention.

This project was made possible with the support and generosity of Bryan Cera, who guided me through the printing process, offered his CeraStruder machine, shared the Andersen Red clay recipe, and was present to troubleshoot every challenge along the way.

Lessons Learned

• The larger the object being printed, the "higher resolution" it appears to look

• Pointing a fan and heat gun on the sculpture helps the clay become more structured

• Wiggly toolpaths offer more structural support than straight ones

• When fired, an 11" hollow 3D-printed sculpture is relatively light to carry

• Always measure the wiggle pattern size before printing to ensure that it is appropriate for the object; digital previews can be misleading

• It is important for the clay to be the right consistency. If it's too moist, then the clay will have too many little air bubbles and affect the look of the printed object