Project Totem will see the students use a lathe to produce 3D objects that will represent passions and fears.

The modular totem will be rearranged at will by visitors at the BNL Media Art Festival, thereby giving rise to new works of art.

Following an initial phase, in which the students drew their totems and then modelled them out of clay, the students are now beginning to learn how to use new technology and software, such as Sculptris, an open source 3D-modelling programme.

Under the guidance of the artists and Painting Professor Alberto Montorfano, the students are learning to use the software to create graphic prototypes of the clay models. Once the have completed the graphic models, the students will move onto the final phase of the workshop and use the lathe to develop the objects.