A NEWLY launched York 3D printing company has taken on an internationally-acclaimed artist to create a new sculpture for the city’s debut Mediale festival.

Matthew Plummer-Fernandez is halfway through an eight month residency with Tockwith based Fluxaxis – a young company spun out of Stage One, which famously built the ‘Cauldron’ for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The partnership is part of a project to create a large sculpture which will be unveiled in York city centre during York Mediale, alongside a full programme of live performances, dance and music across the city spread over the 10 day festival.

Mr Plummer-Fernandez is known around the world for his innovative work with 3D printing, and his work has been commissioned by the Pompidou in Paris, the V&A and Somerset House in London, where his studio is based.

The size constraints of standard 3D printing - with most printers only able to produce models the size of a box of A4 paper – have seen Mr Plummer-Fernandez’s work to date being modestly sized; however the huge capacity of the largest machines at Fluxaxis will enable him to produce sculptures on a much larger scale.

Tom Higham, creative director of York Mediale 2018, said: “We’re so delighted to be able to have put together this residency with the team at Fluxaxis. Pairing an artist who develops technology with a technology company which makes art is such an exciting opportunity, from which they can both learn.”

For a sculpture on the scale that Mr Plummer-Fernandez is planning, the largest 3D printer in Yorkshire is available to him. This device, named Massivit 1800, prints big and fast in fire-retardant acrylic, with a maximum print size of 1.5m by 1.2m by 1.8m. His finished sculpture will be printed in separate large pieces, which will then be assembled and painted before it goes on display in York city centre in September.

Launched by parent company Stage One, Fluxaxis was set up with a £1 million investment in the very latest 3D scanning and printing technology, with the aim of exploring the growing potential of this sector and becoming a market leader.

Edwin Stokes, technical director of Fluxaxis, said: “We know that this is a technology which is going to grow in importance.

“We have four 3D printers, which makes us the best equipped 3D printing bureau in the country. We can see almost unlimited potential in sectors as yet untapped, pushing the limits of the technology with Matthew.”