3D Printed Concrete Sculptures Reinterpret Baroque Virtues at Frieze London
Czech artist Matyáš Chochola presents three 3D printed concrete sculptures at Frieze Sculpture 2026 in London, reinterpreting Baroque allegories through classical fragments, Brutalism, and science fiction.
Three monumental 3D printed concrete sculptures by Czech artist Matyáš Chochola are on view at Frieze Sculpture 2026 in The Regent's Park, London, until November 1, 2026. The works, titled BRUTALIST, METEOR, and MACE II, combine digital modeling, robotic fabrication, and handwork to bring together architectural fragments, classical references, science fiction, and irregular forms.
The sculptures form part of a larger series called Virtues and Vices of Our Time: 300 Years Later, a contemporary reinterpretation of the Baroque Virtues and Vices created by Matthias Bernard Braun. Braun's original 24 sandstone figures were carved around 300 years ago for Kuks Hospital in eastern Bohemia, where they formed part of an architectural ensemble representing the Baroque Christian moral order. Today, the original sandstone figures are protected inside the complex's lapidarium, while concrete casts occupy their former outdoor positions. Chochola's twelve-work series continues this shift between original, reproduction, and reinterpretation, reimagining Braun's allegories through references to Antiquity, Cubism, Brutalism, mythology, science fiction, and contemporary popular culture.
Developed with Czech company Voxell, the series uses 3D concrete printing as a framework for combining robotic fabrication with manual intervention. The sculptures stand approximately three to four meters tall and weigh around one ton each. The printing process employs different orientations, non-planar paths, large overhangs supported by lightweight clay aggregate, and programmed irregularities. After printing, the concrete is ground, carved, and polished, while glass, bronze, brass, and pigments are added by hand. The resulting works combine digital fabrication with physical and material interventions.
At Frieze Sculpture, the three works form what Chochola describes as a «solemn triad.» BRUTALIST combines a deconstructed classical column with Brutalism, the Memphis Group, twentieth-century architecture, and cinematic visions of the future. METEOR connects classical architecture with cosmic and geological references. Inspired by Tomanowos, a meteorite discovered in Oregon and known by that name to the Chinook people, it incorporates hand-embedded glass shards into its concrete surface. MACE II, a development of MACE I, draws on Brutalist architecture, fantasy, and 1980s science fiction. Its angular structure references both a monumental weapon and a futuristic technological relic. Printed in anthracite-tinted concrete, it is finished with metallic copper powder.
Curated by Fatoş Üstek, Frieze Sculpture 2026 explores what is described as a «vibrant hybrid ecology,» placing sculpture in relation to its surrounding landscape and audience. Installed among the trees and paths of The Regent's Park, Chochola's sculptures bring together different materials, historical references, and visual languages within a contemporary public setting. The project is presented by The Chemistry Gallery, with Voxell as producer, Jiří Vítek providing architectural supervision, and Tomáš Cenek handling data processing.
The works raise questions about how historical moral allegories can be translated into contemporary visual language. By replacing carved sandstone with 3D printed concrete and incorporating materials such as glass and bronze, Chochola's series reflects on the relationship between tradition and technological innovation. The sculptures stand as both a homage to Braun's Baroque ensemble and a reinterpretation of its themes for a modern audience, inviting viewers to consider how virtues and vices are represented in an age of digital fabrication and science fiction imagery.
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