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Sculpture I
The Language of Materials and Form

Geraldine Ondrizek
Monday and Wednesday 1:10-4:00pm

The smell of the rain-wet dirt, the texture merged with the color and the fragrance of orange rinds, and the steel-iced fusion of cold hard: these shape the haptic realm. The essence of material, smell, textures, temperature, and touch vitalize everyday existence.
Phenomenology is a discipline that puts essences into experience. The complete perception of architecture depends on the material and detail of the haptic realm, as the taste of a meal depends on the flavors of its ingredients.
Steven Holl, Chemistry of Matter, Parallax

Craft is another way of saying means. I think it’s a question of conscious intention, finally and personal gifts or giftedness. It seems that in art there is a primacy of idea over both means or craft and function. Idea has to transcend both.
Martin Puryear

This course introduces you to the structural principles and communicative possibilities of materials and physical forms. We will explore the haptic and experiential qualities and structural abilities of materials. Examples of artists’ works will be used to demonstrate these ideas.

Each project will address one of the three scales of sculpture: the intimate, which relates to the hand or head; the human, to which the body relates; and the architectural, which the body fits into.
You will learn the fundamentals of wood fabrication, aluminum fabrication, and some wood and stone carving. Throughout the course slide lectures and readings on the work of artists will demonstrate how these problems were addressed in the past.

Objectives

• Introduce you to the structural principles and communicative possibilities of materials, primarily wood aluminum and stone.
• Develop your ability to apply the formal visual principles in sculpture.
• Expose you to the content and context of past art forms.
• Application of the three scales of sculpture; the intimate, which relates to the hand or head; the
  human, to which the body relates; the architectural, which the body fits into.

Assignments

THE LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS AND STRUCTURES:
3 Exercises in Form
More info on this assignment

PLANES, FORMS AND SKELETAL STRUCTURES:
Looking at the interior of a three dimensional form
More info on this assignment

MUSEOLOGY, CABNETS AND CASES:
containment and objectification
More info on this assignment

PRESENCE AND ABSENCE:
casting the intangible
More info on this assignment

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Simparch Freebasin

Materials

We have many materials in the cabinets.
You may want to get a few of your own.
Put your name on a locker and please share it with a classmate.
Get a lock for your locker!
1. Tool box- shoebox
2. Mat knife
3. Drawing pencils
4. Grid paper
5. Sketchbook
6. Tracing paper
7. Work gloves
8. Masking tape, duct tape
I will provide wood and stone for the projects. Please see us for the resource list if you need other materials.

Websites

Reed College Artist Books Website - http://cdm.reed.edu/cdm4/artbooks/
Bauhaus- http://www.bauhaus.de/english/bauhaus1919/index.htm
Albers Foundation- http://www.albersfoundation.org/Home.php
MOMA- http://www.moma.org
Museum of Contemporary Craft
Call and Response-http://www.museumofcontemporarycraft.org/call/pairings/gorm.html
Studio Gorm-http://www.studiogorm.com/
Psycho-Buildings- http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/visual-arts/hayward-exhibitions/psycho-buildings/exhibition
Art 21- http://www.pbs.org/art21/
Make- http://makezine.com/

Artist Websites:

Alen Wexler- http://www.allanwexlerstudio.com
Mary Miss- http://www.marymiss.com/index_.html
Olafur Eliasson- http://www.olafureliasson.net/works.html
http://www.moma.org/interactives/exhibitions/2008/olafureliasson/#/intro/
Buckminster Fuller- http://www.whitney.org/www/buckminster_fuller/video.jsp
SIMPARCH- http://www.simparch.org/
Sarah Sze- http://www.sarahsze.com/
Sol LeWitt- http://www.sfmoma.org/exhibitions/exhib_detail/00_exhib_sol_lewitt.html
Richard Deacon- http://www.richarddeacon.net
Martin Puryear -http://www.moma.org/interactives/exhibitions/2007/martinpuryear/
http://www.donaldyoung.com/puryear/martin_puryear_index.html
http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/puryear/
R Stackhouse-http://www.tandempress.wisc.edu/tandem/gallery/stackhouse/stackhouse.htm
Fluxus- http://www.fluxus.org/12345678910.html
Gordon Matta Clark- NICOLAI OUROUSSOFF
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/03/arts/design/03matt.html
Timely Lessons From a Rebel, Who Often Created by Destroying
Cornelia Parker- http://www.tate.org.uk/colddarkmatter/texts.htm
Dan Flavin- http://www.diacenter.org/ltproj/flavbrid
Dennis Oppenheim- http://www.home.earthlink.net/~dennisoppenheim/
Steven Holl- http://www.stevenholl.com/
Andrea Zittel- http://www.zittel.org/
Christian Boltanski- http://www.tate.org.uk/magazine/issue2/boltanski.htm
Mark Dion- http://www.cmoa.org/international/html/art/dion.htm
Fred Wilson- http://www.renabranstengallery.com/WilsonF.html
Museum of Jurassic Technology- http://www.mjt.org/
Joseph Cornell- http://members.aol.com/mindwebart2/cornellpage3.htm

Rachael Whiteread- http://www.publicartfund.org/pafweb/projects/whiteread_detail.htm
Do-Ho Suh- http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/suh/index.html
Antony Gormely- http://www.antonygormley.com/newsite/index.html
Anish Kapoor-http://www.anishkapoor.com/
Eva Hesse- http://www.sfmoma.org/hesse/
Kiki Smith- http://www.moma.org/interactives/exhibitions/2003/kikismith/

Readings

View pdfs of articles in Reed's ereserves

References

Main References:
Passages in Modern Sculpture. R Krauss
Benezra, Neal David. Martin Puryear (Chicago, Ill.: Art Institute of Chicago; New York, N.Y.: Thames and Hudson, 1991) Fox, Howard N. "Introduction" and "Tadashi Kawamata," A Primal Spirit: Ten Contemporary Japanese Sculptors (Los Angeles, Calif.: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1990)
Barr,Alfred. Sculptors on Sculpture (New York, Distributed by Simon and Schuster, 1954)
Hans Hackke, Texts and Works, Obra Social ( Antoni Tapies Fundacio 1995)
Haupttman, Jodi Joseph Cornell,Stargazing in The Cinema,-The Romantic Museum (Yale University Press, 1999)
Grosnick, Ute  Women Artists, Eva Hesse, Mona Hatoum, Rachel Whiteread, (Tashen 2001)
Krauss, Rosalind E. "Forms of Ready Made: Duchamp and Brancusi," pp. 84- 103, Passages in Modern Sculpture (Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 1981, 1977)
Isamu Noguchi [video recording] (Chicago: Home Vision, 1980)
Kristeva, Julia. Interview with Catherine Francblin, Flash Art, January1986, Julia Kristeva, Interviews edited by Ross Mitchell Guberman (New York: Columbia University Press, 1996)
Andrews, Oliver. Living Materials: A Sculptor's Handbook (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1983)
Krauss, Rosalind E. Passages in Modern Sculpture (Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 1981, 1977)
Penny, Nicholas. The Materials of Sculpture (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1993)
Miss, Mary Mary Miss , Think Space, Joseph Giovanni (Princton archiectual Press)
Serra, Richard, Richard Serra,1985-1998 The Plates
Stiles and Selz. Theories and Documents of Contemporary Art, A Sourcebook of Artists' Writings (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1996)
Wallis, Brian and Tucker Marcia. Blasted Allegories (New York: New Museum of Contemporary Art; Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 1987)
Shopping : a century of art and consumer culture / edited by Christoph Grunenberg and Max Hollein ; with essays by Chantal Béret. Ostfildern-Ruit : Hatje Cantz, c2002.)
Fluxus experience / Hannah Higgins Berkeley : University of California Press, c2002
Annette Messager, the messengers Munich ; New York : Prestel, c2007.
Mr. Wilson's cabinet of wonder / Lawrence Weschler
Weschler, Lawrence. New York : Pantheon Books, c1995    163 p. : ill.
Tom Friedman / Bruce Hainley, Dennis Cooper, Adrian SearlLondon : Phaidon, 2001

Evaluation

1 Working in class 6 hour a week.
2. Attend workshop-training sessions on electric hand tools, wood fabrication, woodshop skills, and aluminum fabrication, box making and stone carving.
3. 4 hours of outside class work time a week on your projects. (Including the workshops.)
4. A written 2-4 pages self-critique is due at the conclusion of each project. This includes information on the technical skills you learned, the conceptual idea you worked with, and the artists and readings we covered.
5. Storage of your work, clean up after working, and proper use of materials

Attendance 40%
Attend all classes. You have two excused absences.
You must be in the studio by 1:15.  
We will usually begin the class with a discussion, so it is vital that you are here for the beginning of the class.
Participation 20%
You’re input and interest in the class, and willingness to share ideas visually and verbally.
Discussion is vital to a studio course.
Doing the readings and the assignments and talking about them is necessary.
 Assignments 40%
You will write a 2-page essay discussing your work, the readings done for the assignment, and detailing the technical challenges you personally over came in doing the assignment.
1. Turn in projects on time. Your grade will be lowered for each week the project is late.
2. Generation of basic ideas and exploration of solutions. This includes drawings, models and exploration of materials.
3. Visual organization of your forms. Your ability to follow a system of formal design.
4. Conceptual thought process put into visual forms. Your ability to convey the ideas behind the form created is vital to the success of the piece.

Shop and studio use:

You may have a key to the art building and use this studio when you wish.
The tool cabinet in the right corner of the studio has tools for your use.
You may only use the Wood shop when the Wood Shop Tech is present.
Laura’s hours are:
You may only use the shop after you have been trained. Training will take place on Fridays beginning in September. Please sign up with Laura for your training day.

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Calendar

Aug/September

31. Introduction to the course, discussion of types of wood and hand tools.
Lecture: “The Function of Aesthetics, the Aesthetics of Function, An Overview of Sculpture 1”
Read: “Beginning course at the Bauhaus” (PDF)
Bauhaus - http://www.bauhaus.de/english/bauhaus1919/index.htm
Albers Foundation - http://www.albersfoundation.org/Home.php

2. Lecture: Bauhaus, A discussion of formal language.
Assignment: 3 Forms
Lesson: Hand Saws, Chisels, How to join wood without glue.
Read/Review: Passages in Modern Sculpture Analytic Space Krause (PDF)
Look at: Buckminster Fuller http://www.whitney.org/www/buckminster_fuller/video.jsp
Rodchencko/Popova http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/rodchenkopopova
Olafur Eliasson-http://www.olafureliasson.net/works.html
Friday Workshop: Work with hand tools, begin making joints and 1st piece.

9. Lecture: Physical Dynamics of Balance, Symmetry, Pattern, Weight, Scale, In Sculpture, Design and Architecture.
Begin fabricating forms.
Assignment: Work on forms.
Read/Review: Martin Puryear and the Idea of Otherness John Edgerfield (Online)
http://www.moma.org/interactives/exhibitions/2007/martinpuryear/
Friday Workshop: Work with hand tools, Fabricate two forms.
Woodshop Training

14. Work time- Complete third form.
16. Discussion/critique of 3 Forms.
Assignment: “Planer/ Skeletal Structures”
Lecture: Contemporary artist working with Interior Structures, Organic and Mechanic
Introduction to new tools, jig saw, band saw, sanders drills.
Read/Review: Sol LeWitt Approaches to Serality, Anne Rorimer (PDF)
SIMPARCH- http://www.simparch.org/
Sol LeWitt-http://www.sfmoma.org/exhibitions/exhib_detail/00_exhib_sol_lewitt.html
Alan Wexler http://www.sfmoma.org/exhibitions/exhib_detail/00_exhib_sol_lewitt.html
Friday Workshop: Begin planning work, make sketches, collect materials.
Woodshop Training

21. Lecture: Artists/Architecture Liner and Planer Structures
Introduction to materials, steam bending, lamination, pop riveting.
Meeting with students to plan the project.

23. Begin fabricating. Meeting with students to plan the project.
Read/Review: Call and Response-Studio Gorm/Rob Slifkin http://www.museumofcontemporarycraft.org/call/pairings/gorm.html (Online)
Studio Gorm- http://www.studiogorm.com/
Sarah Sze- http://www.sarahsze.com/
Robert Morris Body Space- http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/bodyspacemotionthings/default.shtm
Friday Workshop: begin the fabrication process for your piece.
Make sure all wood strips are cut for lamination, bending or pop riveting.

28. Work time.
30. Work time.
Friday Workshop: Work on Project!

October

5. Last work day! Make sure you work is installed in the gallery before the critique at 1pm.
7. Critique- Planer/Skeletal
Read/Review: Art and Artifact-The Museum as Medium Open the Box, James Putman
Mr. Wilson Cabinet of Wonder, Inhaling the Spore L. Wechsler
Museum of Jurassic Technology http://www.mjt.org/
Fred Wilson- http://www.renabranstengallery.com/WilsonF.html
Joseph Cornell http://members.aol.com/mindwebart2/cornellpage3.htm
8. VISTING ARTIST LECTURE: ANNE WILSON 7pm. Vollum

OCTOBER 9, SATURDAY- FIELD TRIP FOR ALL STUDENTS IN ART to
The Museum of Contemporary Craft
- Call and Response / Anne Wilson Speaking on Sloppy Craft

12. Lecture: GC44, Cornell’s Poetry to Fred Wilson Deconstruction
Assignment: Museology, Cabinets and Cases
Introduction to box building.
14. Introduction to box building. Drawings/Models
Read/Review: Fluxus- http://www.fluxus.org/12345678910.html
Shopping Century of Art and Consumer Culture http://www.nyartsmagazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2642&Itemid=695
Art 21, Less is More Raimar Strange
Andrea Zittel -http://www.zittel.org/

Fall Break

26. Lecture: The Contemporary Cases: From Furnishing to Mobile Units
Make model, begin working
28. Meetings/Work time.
Friday Workshop: Work on Project!

November

2. Meetings/Work time
4. Meetings/Work time

9. Work Time
11. Crit, Museology, Cabinets and Cases
Read/Review: Anish Kapoor: Making Emptiness
by Homi K. Bhabha http://www.anishkapoor.com/writing/homibhabha.htm (Online)
Anish Kapoor-http://www.anishkapoor.com/
Do-Ho Suh http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/suh/index.html (Online)
Friday Workshop: Casting

16. Lecture: Spaced Occupied, Making a Presence
Assignment: Presence And Absence
Introduce Casting.
Read/Review: Women Artist Kiki Smith Uta Grosenick (PDF)
Kiki Smith- Interview Helen Posner (PDF)
Some Notes on Anthony Gormley,Xunta de Galicia (PDF)
Eva Hesse- http://www.sfmoma.org/hesse/
Kiki Smith- http://www.moma.org/interactives/exhibitions/2003/kikismith/

18. Lecture: The Body as Object
Casting, Drawing/Design
Friday Workshop: Casting

23. Discussion on place, space and installation.
Work time.
25. Casting practice

Thanksgiving

30. Work time

December

2. Work time
7. Work time
9. Work time
14. Final Critique: PRESENCE AND ABSENCE

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