Dear Students,
Welcome to Sculpture I and II!
Both courses involve an investigation into the processes of making sculpture in the context of contemporary art traditions. We will explore a variety of sculptural materials and processes linking each exploration to a different theme (e.g., the body, memory, identity, culture, science, politics, space, etc). Our work in class will include idea generation and planning activities such as brainstorming, drawing and prototyping.
Welcome to Sculpture I and II!
Both courses involve an investigation into the processes of making sculpture in the context of contemporary art traditions. We will explore a variety of sculptural materials and processes linking each exploration to a different theme (e.g., the body, memory, identity, culture, science, politics, space, etc). Our work in class will include idea generation and planning activities such as brainstorming, drawing and prototyping.
Fabrication strategies will begin with an exploration of basic forming options using mock-up materials such as paper, wire, cardboard and plasticine and will expand to include basic carpentry, metal fabrication (MIG, Arc or brazing), carving, armature fabrication, casting (bronze) and mixed media explorations.
Class time will be used for slide presentations, technical demos, self- assessment activities, studio work time, and group and individual critiques. Over the course of the semester you will read, write and talk about sculpture … in the context of making and critiquing sculpture.
Course Learning Goals
In this stacked class (261 + 361), learning effective art making practices, including strengthening technical, conceptual and expressive skills, is as important as the actual artworks you will produce. What follows is a summary of learning goals for this class:
Artistic Process
- Learning how to make art through a process of creative exploration that includes experimentation, flexibility, discovery and research.
- Learning how to critically assess the art you make through self-reflection (verbal and written) and visual analysis (particularly as a way of understanding the interaction between expressive and conceptual content and formal, structural and material choices).
- Learning how to use a range of design strategies (including model making and sketching) to visualize, plan and engineer your sculptures.
- Learning productive studio work habits that lead to energetic, safe and ambitious art making.
Artistic Production
- Learning how to imagine and create sculpture that is visually compelling through an effective relationship between a work’s content and its composition, detailing, materiality and physical structure/form.
- Learning how to control materials through effective fabrication processes in such a way that the materiality and the process of making of the work contribute to its artistic effect.
- Learning the value of planning and prototyping in the making of sculpture.
The menu on the right side of this blog provides links to our syllabus, class schedule, attendance policy, directions for setting up your blog, and student blogs. I look forward to our work together this semester!
Prof G
