Signature Vase by Frank Tjepkema

Frank Tjepkema
Signature Vase, 2003

Each vase begins with a handwritten signature. This is scanned and translated into a three-dimensional form, so the curves and lines of the writing become the actual structure of the vase. The result is never the same twice, as every piece is unique, shaped by an individual’s gesture.

The vase is produced using early 3D printing technology, specifically stereolithography, which builds the form layer by layer in lightweight plastic.

More than just a vase, the design plays with ideas of authorship and identity. Instead of the designer fully determining the final form, the user becomes part of the process. The object becomes a physical trace of a person, somewhere between a functional item and a small, personal sculpture.