|
Shop Hours: Mon 8a-8p |Tues 8a-8p | Wed 8a-8p Thurs 8a-8p | Fri 8a-7p | Sat 10a-5p | Su 1p-5p
ART 3711 SCULPTURE:
Materials and Methods
Anthony Castronovo, Professor
The University of Florida
Fall Semester 2008
Meeting Times: T R 8-10 (3:00-6:00 PM)
Classroom: FAC B-8
Office: FAC B-3
Telephone: 392-0201 ext.?
e-mail: castronovo@ufl.edu
Office Hours: T R 11-11:30 AM or by appointment
COURSE SYLLABUS
SCULPTURE: Materials and Methods is an introduction to the materials, methods, and concepts of sculpture. We will explore the material properties and expressive potential of fibers/textiles, plaster, wood, and metals. We will combine the use of materials and methods with ideas that trace the history of twentieth century sculpture from early modernism to the present. Emphasis will be placed on materiality, the relationship of material to concept, and the processes used in making a sculpture. In addition, the course will address contemporary issues relating to sculpture in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. We will approach each project as a “Materials Laboratory” where our objective will be to learn traditional materials and techniques and push those processes into new ways of working. The mantra of the “Materials Laboratory” will be: “Form-finding through the self-organization of materials.”
SUMMARY OF THE PROJECTS
-
PROJECT #1: WOOD and wood-like materials, such as bamboo: Project based on wood jointing as the structural concept. Emphasis on alternative methods of using wood in its different states.
-
PROJECT #2: PLASTER/HYDROCAL/CEMENT/FGR95 as a material which can exist as a liquid and a solid. Plaster as memory. The mold and the cast (trace.) Direct Plaster.
-
PROJECT #3: TEXTILE TECTONICS: The Knot, The Weave, The Structure and The Skin. Fabricating textiles with new methods.
- A full description of the objectives of each project will be provided at the beginning of each project.
COURSE EXPECTATIONS
ATTENDANCE is required at all classes, critiques, campus lectures, and
field trips. More than three absences over the semester will result in a grade reduction
of 1/2 of one letter grade from the semester average. Your letter grade will continue to
drop with each accumulation of more than three absences. Three significantly late arrivals
(15 minutes or more) or early departures (ditto) will constitute one absence. You are
expected to work on projects during class time, which includes having materials needed.
Working at home is not considered attendance. Attendance at all critiques is mandatory.
If you are not present for critiques your work will not be critiqued by either the professor
or the class as a group.
If you are absent for a valid reason (illness with documentation, military obligations,
observations of religious holy days of your faith, participation in official university
activities, or court imposed obligations) you must call or email the professor prior to your
absence and you must contact the professor on the day you return to make-up missed
assignments. Please be in class on time because all announcements, lectures, demonstrations
and presentations will take place at the beginning of class.
PROJECTS must be completed by the due dates. Due dates will only be delayed for the class
as a whole, not for individuals. Projects completed late will receive a grade reduction
commensurate with the reason for the lateness and with the extent of the lateness. A schedule
of due dates will be given out with each project.
CRITIQUES are an essential part of the practice of art and require a strong commitment on the
part of all students and the professor. Critiques are exhausting but very beneficial. Critique is
the educational equivalent of exhibition. Therefore, work must be ready for critique and you
must be in attendance at critique. (See attendance above) ACTIVE AND THOUGHTFUL
participation is required. Physical attendance alone does not constitute participation in critique.
You will be graded on the quality of your participation in critique.
READINGS, slides and videos are required with each project and responses are due in writing
or in presentation format on the date assigned. Since readings are selected because of
their relationship to the concepts underlying each project, they are meant to be completed
at the beginning of each project and, for that reason, written responses will not be
accepted any later than one week after the deadline. Late responses will receive a reduced
grade. In no case will late responses to readings be accepted after the project itself is due.
Reading materials will be kept in the classroom for student use or packets will be available
for purchase at Target. Books will be on reserve in the Fine Arts Library.
PROJECT EVALUATIONS
Your work will be evaluated on the basis of the following criteria of requirements and expectations:
- Fulfillment of the project objectives as established with each Project
- Attention to craftsmanship
- A spirit of investigation and experimentation
- Conceptual rigor
- Material inventiveness
- Physical investment: The sweat factor
- Overall aesthetic and conceptual quality of the work
GRADING FORMAT
- EXCELLENT: A+ A Goes beyond all the requirements and expectations
- VERY GOOD: B+ B Meets all the requirements and expectations
- GOOD C+ C Meets most of the requirements and expectations
- POOR: D+ D Meets very few of the reqs. and expectations
- FAIL E F Meets virtually none of the requirements
Official Breakdown:
- A = 4.0 (100%)
- A- = 3.67 (92%)
- B+ = 3.33 (83%)
- B = 3.0 (75%)
- B- = 2.67 (67%)
- C+ = 2.33 (58%)
- C = 2.0 (50%)
- C- = 1.67 (42%)
- D+ = 1.33 (33%)
- D = 1.0 (25%)
- D- = 0.67 (16%)
- E = 0.0 (0%)
FINAL SEMESTER EVALUATIONS will be averaged as follows:
- Project #1 25%
- Project #2 25%
- Project #3 25%
- Reading responses and discussions 10%
- Critique/participation 10%
- Exercises,sketches,proposals 5%
- Attendance Grade: SEE DETAILED ATTENDANCE POLICY ABOVE.
CRITICAL DATES are provided with each project description. All projects are due on the due
dates given in the project descriptions. Final critique will be held on the last day of class of
the Fall semester.
POLICIES
The Department of Art and its faculty assume no responsibility for any materials or projects left
in the classrooms. It is each student’s responsibility to remove all materials and projects from
the classrooms after the course has concluded. If the student needs to make individual arrangements
with the instructor to keep any materials after the class has ended, it is the student’s responsibility
to make these arrangements, with the instructor’s approval. Student grades may be withheld for failure
to do so. Any artwork, supplies, or other materials left in the classroom after the semester has
concluded, without prior specific arrangements with the responsible faculty, will be disposed of.
Students requesting classroom accommodation must first register with the Dean of Students Office.
The Dean of Students Office will provide documentation to the student who must then provide this
documentation to the Instructor when requesting accommodation.
Turn off your cell phones upon entering the classroom. Absolutely no cell phone use in the classroom
or sculpture shops. Please retreat to the hallways or outside for emergency calls. Student acknowledges
the cell phone termination policy and accepts destruction by smashing of their cell phone in instances
of repeat offenses.
University of Florida honesty policy regarding cheating and use of copyrighted materials applies.
See student handbook.
SCHEDULE:
WOOD PROJECT
Aug.26 Introduction to course. First Project introduced. Shop Orientation with Brad Smith. Locker and storage assignments. Assignments given out for Tues. Aug. 28 on letter/symbol exercise.
Aug. 28 Introduction to Japanese artists. Look at work of Martin Puryear. Discuss symbol project. Go to library for research. Tony Cragg reading for Tuesday; read and takes notes for discussion on Tues.
Sep.2 Demonstration by Brad Smith on one joint. Discussion of possible joint solutions for letter/symbol designs. Begin work in shop. Discussion of one Reading.
Sept.4 Continuation of letter/symbol joint exercise. Must be completed today or outside of class prior to Sept. 4. Discussion of one Reading and slide viewing. Begin discussion of next project, Passages.
Sept. 9 First project due. Proposals for Passages due, this includes detailed drawing, scale, materials, sizes. Group discussion of proposals. Discussion with Brad Smith before 5:00 pm of possible problems to look out for. Continuation of discussion and project revisions until 6:00 pm. Discussion of another reading if time remains.
Sept. 11 All materials must be with you and you must be ready to begin the Passages project. Final discussion of remaining readings.
Sept. 16 Intense work in wood shop
Sept. 18 Intense work in wood shop. Mid project review.
Sept. 23 Intense work in wood shop
Sept. 25 Intense work in wood shop
Sept. 30 Introduce plaster project, look at artists who have used plaster in
their work. Everyone is required to purchase at least one half bag (50lb) of
molding plaster, which means finding a friend to split the bag with. Talk about
alginate and maybe organize an order.
Oct. 2 Critique of Passages/Wood.
Oct. 7 Half page responses due. Must have plaster in class by today to start
experiments. Build objects,
cast forms, model surfaces, combine materials, create materials. Look for at
least ten various solutions or examples.
Oct. 9 Proposals due, these are to be typed and drawings included,
scan them and print, i want one packet turned in to me.
Oct. 14 Studio day
Oct. 16 Studio day
Oct. 21 Studio day
Oct. 23 Studio day. Mid project review at beginning of class.
Oct. 28 Studio day
Oct. 30 Studio day
Nov. 4 Critique.
Nov. 13 Project description. Reading assignments explained. Clean and
prepare for ART BASH!!! Please download two readings for Tuesday
Nov. 18: Biodynamics & FreiOtto
Nov. 18 Introduction to PROJECT #3: TEXTILE TECTONICS. What is tectonics?
What is a fiber? What is a textile? Slide presentation. Discussion of readings.
Bring in 10 “fibers” to class that you think you may want to experiment with.
Try 10 different methods of “weaving” those fibers into a textile. Studio time.
Videos: (1) Christo, 30 minutes or so.
Assignment: 10 ways of combining your fibers into textile materials and tectonic
structures and techniques.
Nov. 20 Presentation of your fiber exercises due. Discussion of second
set of readings. Discussion of ways of manipulating the “fibers” into a
“textile. Assignments due: Completion of your 10 ways of combining your fibers
into textile materials and tectonic structures and techniques. Discussion of 2nd
set of readings.
Nov. 25 PROPOSALS AND DRAWINGS due for discussion. Be ambitious. Studio
class for experimentation, cross-fertilization, testing theories. Always bring
materials to class.
Nov. 27 No Class, Thanksgiving.
Dec. 2 More readings assigned. Go to Harn Museum to see Louise Bourgeois,
Ode a L’Oublie in the contemporary wing.
Written responses to readings due.
Dec. 4 Discussion of structures, tectonics, ways of supporting the
textile, ways of making the textile more interesting.
Working studio day for remainder. Individual meetings.
Dec. 9 Working studio day. Individual meetings.
Dec. 11 Working studio day. Individual meetings.
Dec. 16 at 11:45 am Final Project Due. CRITIQUE OF TEXTILE TECTONICS.
| 
