Experimental Sculpture Collection Assignment Guidelines

Assignment:

Create a collection of three non-representational sculptures that visually communicate ideas about shape, line, color, space, pattern/repetition and texture. Strive for innovative ways to use the materials to visually provoke curiosity.

am·big·u·ous| amˈbiɡyəwəs | 

adjective(of language) open to more than one interpretation; having a double meaning: 

Objective:

Explore how materials can be manipulated to achieve innovative results while utilizing the elements and principles of design.

Artist Inspiration:

The artists I collected for inspiration are not necessarily using the same materials as required for this project. However, their use of materials, formal use of elements and principles and/or concept of form can most certainly provide inspiration. Go to right column and select category "Experimental Sculpture Collection Artist Inspiration". If on your phone and do not see right column, scroll to bottom and click on "web version". You can also go to link below.

https://foundations3ddesign.blogspot.com/search/label/Experimental%20Sculpture%20Collection%20Artists

Ideas for how to use materials:

https://foundations3ddesign.blogspot.com/search/label/Experimental%20Sculpture%20Collection%20Ideas

Student Work:

Over the semesters I have changed up guidelines. However, all student work I have collected can inspire and demonstrate this assignment.

https://foundations3ddesign.blogspot.com/search/label/Experimental%20Sculpture%20Collection%20Student%20Examples

Materials

At least three (3) materials need to appear on each sculpture and used with innovation. Therefore, glueing two pieces of a material is not an innovative use of glue. Select from list below:

• Gel Medium
• In the kit you purchased from Reddi Arts. Use brushes and water to apply - brushes in the kit.
• Mask Tape
• Use as a material for it to count as a material. This means the tape is not used solely to "attach". Tape in the kit you purchased from Reddi Arts.
• String and/or Thread. No yarn. 
• Available in the studio.
• Tracing Paper
• Available in the studio.
• White/cream paper.
• A half sheet was included with the kit you purchased. 
• Can also use paper pulp made with copy paper. See me for copy paper. 
• Wood (Balsa or other)
• Balsa wood purchased with kit. 
• Scrap wood available in wood shop.
• Wire
• Available in the studio.
• Must wear safety glasses when working with wire. 
• Hot Glue
• Available in the studio.
• Clear Packing Tape
• Available in the studio. 
• Elmers Yellow Wood Glue 
• Available in the studio

• Color
• No more than two colors per sculpture. 
• Can be the same color(s) for all three sculptures.
• Black, white or gray counts as a color. 
• Use ink or thread to visually convey color. 
• Black and colored Winsor and Newton Ink available in the studio.
• White ink in your kit from Reddi Arts. 
• See me for thread. 

• Materials needed for construction:

• Utility Knife (Reddi-Arts kit)
• Exacto Knife (Reddi-Arts kit)
• Pencil
• Ruler (available in the studio)
• Cut Matt (available in the studio)
• Brushes (Reddi-Arts kit and available in the studio next to sink)

Details:

• Do not create representational forms.
• Use materials with innovation. See list below for ideas.
• Each sculpture needs to measure at least 8-inches in one direction.
• All three sculptures will have height, width and depth and be free-standing. 
• Remember to take in process pictures as you are working. 
• For each sculpture:
• Carefully consider how color can enhance the formal and conceptual aspects of the sculpture. 
• Consider how color works with the materials you selected. 
• Consider how color looks from all angles. 
• Monochromatic color or a gray scale also an option. 

• Sculpture #1
• Create a tactile pattern and/or repetition that will dominate the form. 

• Sculpture #2
• Create a focal point.

• Sculpture #3 
• Create negative space. 

Some ideas on how to use materials with innovation:

• Twist
• Shred
• Fold
• Roll
• Weave
• Wrap
• Layer/stack
• Braid
• Pierce
• Paper Mache
• Dilute gel medium or Elmers wood glue with water. Use tracing paper, copy paper or craft paper from roll in studio. Newspaper also an option. 
• Stitch. 
• Ask me for needle and thread. Or you can create "rope" from paper or masking tape and use this as thread.  
• Paper Pulp 
• Soak paper in water to create a pulp. You can add ink to the paper pulp for color and/or glue to make a paste. 
• Paper Molds
• Form wet paper over an object. Do not add glue as this will attach paper to the object. Once paper is dry, will take on shape of object. To remove, cut paper off of object. 
• Roll Tape Mask Tape
• Stick rolled shapes together to form another shape.
• Hot Glue
• Use hot glue to cover a form or make individual forms that are applied/sewn to a larger form. 
• Elmers Yellow Wood Glue
•  Create shapes on a flat, plastic surface. Once dry, the glue will form a "plastic". Small, individual shapes can be applied (sewn, glued) to a larger form. Or one larger form can be created an added to the another form. 
• Interior Space
• Cut "windows" so viewer can see inside a form. Consider what will be "inside". 
• Ribs
• Use wire to create a skeleton. Drape with trace paper that has been soaked with a water and gel medium mixture (paper mache). 

Steps to Follow:

Step 1:

• Select at least three artworks for inspiration from the artists listed on the blog. See link above for "Sculpture Collection Artist Inspiration".

Step 2:

• Begin by exploring materials, making three-dimensional sketches.
• Do not sketch on paper. 
• Your 3D sketches may be incorporated into a final sculpture. 

Step 3:

• Allow the experiments to fuel ideas for the final sculptures. 

What do I post on my blog?

• Refer to document in File Section in Canvas. The document includes a checklist and directions for formatting. 
• Blog posting for this assignment due during final exam day and time. 

Morgan's Wonderland

The world’s first theme park for special needs people 

to play alongside able bodied people is the result of one man’s determination and his daughter’s inspiration.

Three rides were custom-designed for the park by Chance Rides and a lot of time went into ensuring they looked like regular rides, as opposed to rides for people with special needs. The carousel is sunk into the ground so that people in wheelchairs can access it. The wheelchair is secured to a platform, themed like a dragon to match the other animals on the carousel, which goes up and down so that person gets the same motion and experience as the people going round on the horses. Benches have been suspended between the centre of some animals, which, again, go up and down, so people who aren’t able to climb onto a horse are still able to have just the same experience.

On all rides, lights flicker before they start to indicate to people who are hearing impaired that motion is about to begin. For the visually impaired, a tannoy announcement counts down to the start of the ride so guests can anticipate the movement as it starts.

Above Text Source: https://www.cladglobal.com/architecture-design-features?codeid=28617&ref=n

Website: https://morganswonderland.com/

Mel Kendrick, Aritst, American, b. 1949

More to see on artist's website:

https://www.melkendrick.com/artwork/sculpture/2020-2-2/

 

African American Miniature Museum, Founded by Folk Artist Karen Collins

Take a look at the work of Karen Collins. While the work does not include, 

you can find inspiration for the social commentary component 

of our assignment Figurative Bust Sculpture. 

The artist, Karen Collins. 

Folk artist Karen Collins, over the course of 24 years, has created a pictoral view of black history through dioramas placed in shadowboxes.

From the very beginning of the journey - the Middle Passage to America - up to Barack Obama and Kendrick Lamar, Karen’s miniatures bring clarity and vibrance in the telling of black history.

The museum began as a mobile project in the 90’s, when Karen took her work to schools, libraries, churches and community centers, as a way to bring both the many triumphs and the horrors of black history to a generation of children that sorely needed a sense of self and context.

See more on website. 

Link below:

https://rubinmuseum.org/events/exhibitions/charged-with-buddhas-blessings

 

Relics from Ancient Stupa, Rubin Museum, New York, USA

Source link for photos:

http://www.piprahwa.com/rubin-museum

 

See it to believe whether Buddhist relics and their stories have power. In 1898, excavation of a site in Piprahwa, northern India, revealed an ancient stupa with five intact reliquaries, one of which had an inscription claiming it contained the remains of the Buddha. This installation tells the story of this remarkable discovery and features the offerings of gems and gold foil ornaments that were enshrined together with the reliquaries. In essence, these items can be considered “contact relics,” imbued with the blessings of the Buddha’s corporeal remains, objects with the power to increase merit. 

-source link: https://rubinmuseum.org/events/exhibitions/charged-with-buddhas-blessings

Student Work, A Few of My Favorite Things

Sydney Fisher

 1. Lavender. I can't remember a day that lavender was not my favorite scent.  When I light a candle or pick up a bar of soap, it will smell of lavender.

2. Film camera.  I like to take photos wherever I go.  I learned how to develop film on my own and even though the photos sometimes turn out looking too dark or out of focus, the process intrigues me.

3. Rings. I feel naked without them. 

4. Tiny notebook. In all honesty, my favorite part of being an artist is being able to make little drawings that no one will ever see.  There isn't so much pressure with something so small. 

5. Wooden pencil. An old friend of mine handmade this for me.  I tend to lose things often but this I will have forever.

6. Paintbrush.  I realized about 6 months ago that my niche is using oil paint.  All of my brushes now are covered with different pigments.  My friend will tell me, "you really need to get new brushes," but I don't know, in a way they feel like part of my favorite pieces that I've created.

7. Orange lighting.  I feel most peaceful when the orange lighting lights up my bedroom at night.  Even more when it rains.

Evan Gallagher

1. Running Shoe: I've been running for as long as I can remember. Every year and every season in High School I competed and it's something that has stuck with me for as along as I can remember. After all the sport runs in my family (pun intended).

2. Rubik's Cube: I'm a huge fan of puzzles, any kind. Brain teasers are something I've always found fun and I love a challenge, especially a mental one.

3. Book: Reading is something I love to do if I can get around to it. If I find a book I enjoy then I can find myself spending all day reading it and finishing it in a few days.

4. Carabiner: Rock climbing is something that I've only started doing recently but it is one of my favorite hobbies. Every climb is like a puzzle and requires thought, sometimes more than physicality. Climbing is both a physical and mental challenge that is extremely rewarding.

5. Juosta: Or "sash" in Lithuanian. For as a long as I can remember I've gone to a Lithuanian Heritage summer camp formally as a camper and now as a counselor and it is one of the best parts of my whole year. This summer I also had the opportunity to dance in the Lithuanian Folk Dance Festival in Philadelphia that only takes place once every four years.

Abby Lanza

 1. Pumpkin - The love of my life, I mean look at those eyes. I rescued Pumpkin in October, 2019              and her and I have been inseparable since. 

            

            2. Brown Sugar (Pound Puppy) - This awesome Pound Puppy was also recused by me at 6 years             old from a dusty thrift store. I do sleep with this stuffed animal every night as well. 

            3. Paint Supplies -  I picked up painting again after a 6+ year hiatus. This nifty handled caddy                     holds all of the paint my heart can handle...for now. 

            4. Papa (Grandfather) - This picture of my grandfather (right of the 2 dollar bill) was taken at his             base in Germany. My grandfather is my best friend and best person in my family to this day. 

            

            5. 2 dollar bill - I love money and money loves me....in all seriousness last spring I took my first                big trip to Denver, Colorado. I found myself in the evergreen mountains buying a coffee on with a             lake view when they handed me a 2 dollar bill. I was ecstatic, not knowing they give out 2 dollar                bills all the time in Colorado..It's a thing, but I stashed it as a special momento anyways. 

            6. Canon EOS Film 35mm - I bought this film camera after my Canon A-T1 35mm it was all                    manual and very hard to figure out. This on has a flash and I'm excited to see how my pictures turn             out!

Anna Fairon

1.) A 1960s/1970s rotary phone. Because it was my boyfriend's great grandparents' house phone. It reminds me of my need to communicate with family.

2.) A very old key. Because I had bought three old keys at an antique store for myself and my two good friends, we would all have an old key, kind of like friendship bracelets. It reminds me that my friends have the key to my heart.

3.) My grandmother's class ring from 1964. Because I wear it every day to remember her after her passing in 2017.

4.) A 1950's Wind Song perfume bottle. Because the original perfume is still made today. I put the perfume in the bottle which was empty when I bought it. It reminds me that there is still living history out there. 

5.) A 1930's heart locket. Because I wear it every day, my boyfriend gifted it to me for Christmas last year.

 

Willy Verginer, Sculptor, Italian, b. 1957

The artist using wood and paint. 

However, the work provides inspiration for the Figurative Bust Sculpture Assignment (using air dry clay). Observe how the artist uses color, incorporates objects and how the gaze/use of eyes of each subject is significant to overall meaning. 

"I think colour is the most important part of my work. In art school I studied painting and not sculpting. The colour I use overwhelms my figures. It does not underline a narration, but the narration itself revolves, questions and changes with this additional visual. A tension, a conflict, as well as unity and harmony occur between colour and wood. Colour often has a symbolic value. I often use a range of colours according to the symbolism, or in connection with a specific expression, but it is not a rule; sometimes I also use a completely opposite colour (something that is counter intuitive) to surprise the viewer. (…) I don’t like when people see me as a surrealist. The surreal movement had the concept very different from what I try to achieve. However, humour and absurdity is very important for me. Both help to see the reality better. My greatest effort and my greatest research focus on not remaining fossilised on the naturalistic representation of the figure, but on giving something more. Through a dreamlike study, or better still absurd, rather than fantastic, because I often see real situations it is those that stimulate and greatly influence my work." -Willy Verginer   

https://visualflood.com/post/dreamlike-figurative-wood-sculptures-that-highlight-our-social-and-environmental-issues-by-willy-verginer

More work to see on artist website:

http://www.verginer.com/

 

Ismael Ivo, Choreographer and Dancer, Brazil, b. 1955 d. 2021

I Had Too Much Coffee

The economics of coffee and its colonial origins. 

Go to link below for full video and better quality. 

http://ralfschmerberg.de/video/ismael-ivo/

 

Gregory Crewdson, Photographer, American

Image source:

https://thursd.com/articles/the-cinematic-floral-art-of-photographer-gregory-crewdson

 

Memento Assignment Guidelines

me·men·to [muh-men-toh]

noun, plural me·men·tos, me·men·toes.

1. an object or item that serves to remind one of a person, past event, etc.; keepsake; souvenir.

2. anything serving as a reminder or warning.

3. (initial capital letter, italics  ) Roman Catholic Church . either of two prayers in the canon of the Mass, one for persons living and the other for persons dead.

Origin: 

1350–1400; Middle English  < Latin mementō, imperative of meminisse  to remember

Usage note

Memento is sometimes spelled momento, perhaps by association with moment.  The word is actually related to remember.  One of its earliest meanings was “something that serves to warn.” The meaning “souvenir” is a recent development: The stone animal carvings are mementos of our trip to Victoria.

Memento Origins

Mementos can be traced back to the 15th century, but it wasn’t until Queen Victoria reigned in the 16th century that mementos began to evolve.

When her beloved husband Prince Albert died in 1861, Queen Victoria was so overcome with grief she spent the rest of her life memorializing him. She wore black clothing, also known as “widow weeds.” She ordered custom designed jewelry made from jet, a black gemstone, to memorialize her Prince Albert. The Queen completed her ensemble by wearing a ‘mourning ring’ as public display of her grief until her passing in 1901. This set a trend for upper society women to do the same. The Victorian Age is replete with relics of the age depicting women in varying stages of mourning by adorning themselves with similar pieces of jewelry and clothing that the queen wore. However, this practice soon diminished after the queen’s death. The wish to remember a loved one lives on. Source link: https://www.oneworldmemorials.com/pages/mementos

ASSIGNMENT:
Make a sculpture that is understood visually as well as by touch. Use no more than three materials to create a sculpture that can be held comfortably/cradled with one hand. The final solution is non-representational.

OBJECTIVE:
Gain an awareness of how materials, processes and the elements and principles of art and design can be used to visually communicate significant meaning. Develop an idea based on personal memory that challenges perceptions of souvenirs and escalates the sensual awareness of touch. 

GET INSPIRED - LOOK, READ, LISTEN:

Artist Inspiration: http://foundations3ddesign.blogspot.com/search/label/Memento%20Artists

Student Work: http://foundations3ddesign.blogspot.com/search/label/Memento%20Student%20Work

Listen to a story: http://foundations3ddesign.blogspot.com/2019/06/one-womans-trash-by-kate-greathead.html

Reading Selections : http://foundations3ddesign.blogspot.com/search/label/Memento%20Reading%20Selections

MATERIALS:

• You choose the material(s) for this assignment and decide on the method of construction. 
• Recommended materials that can serve this assignment well are wood, sculpted clay (bake in oven), air dry clay, porcelain air dry clay, paper that has been sculpture/hardened with gesso, paper that has been stacked with wood glue, paper that has been sculpted/hardened with gel medium, fabric. 
• Be aware of the material(s) you select, methods used to construct and the juxtaposition of the materials. For instance, is it significant for you to weld, stitch, weave or tie any of the materials? The materials you use and method of construction need to reflect your memory. 
• Use no more than three (3) materials.  
• Glue does not count as long as it is not seen. The same applies to other methods of attachment such as nails or staples. 
• Any method of attachment that is visible counts as material. For instance, if you use thread to sew materials together, the thread counts as a material.
• Any material used in various colors, counts as one material for each color.  For example, red paint and blue paint count as two materials.
• You may deconstruct and manipulate materials. For example, you may break a pre-fabricated ceramic object such as a mug or plate and use a piece(s) in your sculpture. Cut up clothing for the fabric. 

NEED TO KNOW:

• DO NOT make a "mini" something. For instance, a miniature tree, house or soccer ball. You are not illustrating the memory with a three-dimensional form. You are analyzing the elements and principles associated with the memory to make an object with content and meaning. 
• The object you make must have the ability to be held comfortably with one hand. Consider how the object relates to the hand. Can it be cradled? Can your hand fold over the object and conceal it? Or does the object need a delicate touch? Perhaps the object gently rests within an open palm. 
• How the body experiences textures is an important aspect of this assignment. Carefully consider how textures are significant. 
• Option - incorporate scent. Keep in mind, the scent will count as a material. 
• Final solution must be sturdy and stable. 
• Final solution will have height, width and depth. 
• Final solution cannot hang or be mounted on the wall. Must exist as a three-dimensional form that can be comfortably held in one hand (two hands okay). 
• When writing artist statement, clearly state the material(s) and why you chose to use.

USE ELEMENT AND PRINCIPLES TO DEVELOP YOUR IDEA:

• Line direction. Is your memory taller than you? Could stacking or a tower like construction communicate height? 
• Or is the memory vast?  Therefore allowing for a horizontal presentation. 
• Is the landscape (if you have one) of your memory closed in? Open with no
• boundaries?
• Color and Texture. You may add color/texture or use materials for their inherent color/texture. Consider how these elements are significant to your memory.
• Shape.  Organic shapes and rectilinear shapes communicate differently.  Will you use only one approach or both?
• Focal Point. To create an area of emphasis. 
• Scale. Everyone is required to make a memento that can be held in one hand. 

STEPS TO FOLLOW:

Step 1: 

Complete Research Packet. The document file is in Canvas, File Section. The packet will help you develop an idea and help me discuss ideas with each student. 

Step 2: 

In class discussion for the chapter, Objects of Desire, from the book On Longing by Susan Stewart. Be prepared to take notes with paper and pen/pencil. I have the book - will share chapter readings in class. Students need to be prepared to listen and take handwritten notes.  Homework -  On Longing assignment. http://foundations3ddesign.blogspot.com/search/label/On%20Longing%20Assignment%20Guidelines

Step 3: 

Reflect on info you gathered in Research Packet and the On Longing Assignment. Use this info to develop an idea. 

Step 4: 

Begin work on your sculpture. 

What do I post on my blog?

• Refer to document in File Section in Canvas. The document includes guidelines and checklist. 
• Blog posting for this assignment due during final exam day and time. 

Simone Leigh, Artist, American

Source:

https://galeriemagazine.com/guggenheim-announces-exhibition-of-new-works-by-simone-leigh/

Source:

https://entertainmentvoice.com/2016/09/17/new-york-artist-simone-leigh-takes-her-first-la-solo-show-to-hammer-museum/

Source:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CjtF8VdDdHo/?hl=en

Source:

https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2022/modern-contemporary-evening-auction-2/blue-black

Source:

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/simone-leigh-decatur-cobalt-201-c-90d4c70853

Last week, it was announced that Simone Leigh would make history at the Venice Biennale by representing the United States in 2022, making her the first Black woman ever to do the country’s pavilion at the world’s top art festival. “There’s no better artist for our time,” said Jill Medvedow, the director of the Institute of Contemporary Art Boston, the museum commissioning the pavilion. What makes Leigh so important right now, and why has she risen to the status of the one of the top artists working today? Below is a guide to Leigh’s art, her career, and the ideas that guide her work.

Continue reading by Alex Greenberger on Art News:

https://www.artnews.com/feature/simone-leigh-who-is-she-why-is-she-famous-1234574361/