Neri Oxman, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA

Subterrain, from the Materialecology project

2007

Coded FEA, Rhinoceros, and Generative Components software; CNC milled laminated oak and cherry wood

Not on view

"The main idea promoted by this project," Oxman says, “is our ability not only to analyze natural (and biological) tissues but to reconstruct them in larger scales.” Three microscale biological tissues (a leaf section, a butterfly wing, and a scorpion paw) were reconstructed using a digital protocol. The tissues were closely analyzed and then reconstructed in three-dimensional macroscale prototypes out of wood, through the use of a very fine mill controlled by a computer.

Gallery label from

Design and the Elastic Mind, February 24–May 12, 2008.

Medium Coded FEA, Rhinoceros, and Generative Components software; CNC milled laminated oak and cherry wood
Dimensions .a (leaf section): 20 x 20 x 2 1/4" (50.8 x 50.8 x 5.7 cm) .b (scorpion paw): 20 x 20 x 2 1/4" (50.8 x 50.8 x 5.7 cm) .c (butterfly wing): 20 x 20 x 2 1/4" (50.8 x 50.8 x 5.7 cm)
Model maker RPM's Machining
Credit Gift of The Contemporary Arts Council of The Museum of Modern Art
Object number 448.2008.1.a-c
Department Architecture & Design

Explore more

Neri Oxman

Neri Oxman

American, born Israel, 1976 28 works online

Silkworms, ants, bacteria, or bees are hardly welcome in an architectural office next to drafting boards and paper models, but their presence is an essential part of the work done at Oxman, Neri Oxman’s nature-centric architectural practice.

Learn more →
All works by Neri Oxman →

From MoMA Design Store

Installation views

We have identified this work in the following photos from our exhibition history.

How we identified these works
In 2018–19, MoMA collaborated with Google Arts & Culture Lab on a project using machine learning to identify artworks in installation photos. That project has concluded, and works are now being identified by MoMA staff.

If you notice an error, please contact us at [email protected].
Licensing
To reproduce installation views, please contact Art Resource (publication in North America) or Scala Archives (publication in all other geographic locations). You will need to include the object identification number found in the caption.
Feedback
This record is a work in progress. If you have additional information or spotted an error, please send feedback to [email protected].

Licensing

Artwork or archival images

If you would like to reproduce an image of a work of art in MoMA's collection, or an image of a MoMA publication or archival material (including installation views, checklists, and press releases), please contact Art Resource (publication in North America) or Scala Archives (publication in all other geographic locations).

Audio and film clips

MoMA licenses archival audio and select out of copyright film clips from our film collection. At this time, MoMA produced video cannot be licensed by MoMA/Scala. All requests to license archival audio or out of copyright film clips should be addressed to Scala Archives at [email protected]. Motion picture film stills cannot be licensed by MoMA/Scala. For access to motion picture film stills for research purposes, please contact the Film Study Center at [email protected]. For more information about film loans and our Circulating Film and Video Library, please visit Circulating Film and Video Library.

Text from a publication or the archives

If you would like to reproduce text from a MoMA publication, please email [email protected]. If you would like to publish text from MoMA's archival materials, please fill out this permission form and send to [email protected].

Feedback

This record is a work in progress. If you have additional information or spotted an error, please fill out this feedback form.