To quote Birgit Laken: anarkik champion: “I strive for the emotional impulse which gave me the energy to work out my idea, being perceptible in the results. Then there will be communication possible on another level with the contemplator or the one who wears it. For this reason, jewellery, so close to our body, is a valuable exchange for me of thoughts and feelings.” https://klimt02.net/jewellers/birgit-laken
Birgit Laken is a jewellery designer and photographer from the Netherlands. She trained at Gerrit Rietveld Academy in 1976 and her work is now in the collections of 18 International Museum as well as many private collections. She has an amazingly long and illustrious resume, is internationally very active, giving workshops, lectures and exhibitions.
Birgit discovered the potential of Anarkik3D Design software back in 2012 and remains enthusiastic to this day as shown in the range of her work and activities.
Birgit’s aesthetic combines strong, pure lines with a playful sense humour. Her pieces are 3D printed in polyamide and then dyed and hand-finished to create a unique piece of jewellery.
Why is Birgit Laken anarkik champion? She shares her passion about her jewellery and making process using Anarkik3DDesign with others, surprising and inspiring them with the special character she achieves in her work. She has even had Anarkik3D’s 3D haptic programme on her stand next to her jewellery at Design Fairs and exhibition. She used it there to demonstrated how she uses Anarkik3DDesign programme to create her quirky designs.
She encourages anyone who is interested to try it out. In her atelier in Haarlem Centre, she gives workshops for up to two people to those who would like to buy this easy to learn intuitive program.
During National Zilverdag in 2018 she showed her 3D printed rings and pendants, in addition to a small selection of jewellery from various stages in her amazing career. She especially made a single ring in silver which was 3D printed and cast, and another 3D printed in black steel, for the National Zilverdag.
In the Finisage Gallery, Bloemendaal, she exhibited her new ‘hug’ earrings and pendant and invited people to choose the dye colour for themselves.
Her other work, not 3D digital but hand crafted, has a graphic character, which is reinforced by the use of her photography, a second passion next to her jewellery. This is in addition to working on her series of multiples, developed on the computer with Anarkik3DDesign haptic 3D programme, printed in strong polyamide, dyed her rich iconic colours and partly self-finished.
Birgit and Ann Marie Shillito, CEO of Anarkik3D go back quite a way and in 2007 Birgit first tried haptic 3D modelling when she visited Edinburgh and tested a demonstrator programme and kit. She was an ideal designer maker to assist with testing as she is curious and enthusiastic about trying and using new techniques and technologies. The programme was being developed especially for artists and freeform designers by Anarkik3D as a spin-out company from research at Edinburgh College of Art in collaboration with The University of Edinburgh.
Around this time, the technology of 3D printing was producing better results so in 2012 Birgit purchased her own Anarkik3DDesign package so that she was able to do the digital designing herself and explore the potential of 3D printing. Since then, she regularly designs work that will be 3D printed. She uses specialist service companies, specifically Oceanz, for the SLS (selective laser sintering) method, which binds polyamide powder in layers.
