For my Sculpture II class it is our semester long assignment to make three sculptural pieces:
- being a global/humanitarian piece to reflect something within society
- being an installation
- being a piece centered around the mastery of a certain material
Most of the time it is expected that we are working simultaneously on all three pieces. Whenever there is a lull in one process we switch to the other. I am always one to begin something and finish it but have been opened up to this new experience of multi-process studio time. I can benefit from this greatly. It has been so beneficial for me to experiment with different techniques and ways of doing things in my studio classes. Now is the time to experiment and truly see what works for myself as an artists.
This allows me to never be closed off to new ideas which has given me an opportunity to change original plans for projects. For example, my plan for my installation assignment has changed drastically but in the best way in which I am excited for this new project direction. Originally wire focused, I will be using a multitude of picture frames. My installation plan is to hang the frames from a tree. As for the frames themselves, I will be transforming all of them. The goal for each frame is to design it in a way that when a viewer looks through it’s negative center, the border will provoke different emotions based on color, application, material used, etc. For example: gold leaf frames would symbolize a time of prosperity, banged up frames would symbolize difficult times, frames with colorful pom poms would have a child-like feel, etc.
I loved this new idea because it made me think critically about the different impressions materials can give when being viewed. And the beautiful thing about how different people are lends itself to this installation because every viewer has the freedom to view the frames and process it differently. The empty center of the frames which is known for being filled with something is instead filled with whatever the mind of the viewer fills it with while being guided by the borders.
In addition to this, I will have small metal sheets that I will have cut leaves out of in order to use the negative. These sheets will be hanging along with the frames to serve as a reminder that although the object may be obvious by what information the frame of the leaf gives away it is the viewers job to identify and fill in the “main subject matter” with their own imagery just as they are to do with the different frames.
While sketching up ideas for this project I experienced a new passion that I hadn’t felt for my previous idea for this assignment. I am so glad I wasn’t closed minded and accepted new ideas instead of being intimidated by the thought of changing everything completely.
Great things can happen when you welcome new ideas.
