Sculpture Workshop Part 3
Summary:
In this weeks workshop our primary focus was centred around looking at the idea of addition and reduction. When considering how addition and reduction relate to sculpture, I realised it isn't as simple as just calving off material or gluing new materials onto an existing form instead the change of shape, consistency, height, strength, state is also addition or reduction. The main task set in the workshop was to focus on addition and reduction, whilst working into a cube of plaster. My initial intention was to create piece very different to my general style I wanted to make a sculpture to how one feels during sleep deprivation. This concept had to change due to several hindrances caused by the materials. I really liked my final outcome, as it related greatly to my own style, it was beginning to look more figurative and flesh like. This has got me thinking can I fabricate other solid forms to resemble figurative flesh like figures?
In this weeks workshop our primary focus was centred around looking at the idea of addition and reduction.
What is addition? addition is the action or process of adding something to something else, increasing its mass, volume or density.
What is reduction? reduction is the opposite to addition, as it is the process of removing something from something else, decreasing its mass, volume or density.
When considering how addition and reduction relate to sculpture, I realised it isn't as simple as just calving off material or gluing new materials onto an existing form instead the change of shape, consistency, height, strength, state is also addition or reduction. This became very clear at the start of the workshop when we experimented with simple mounts of flour. we moulded domes of flour using bowls, these mounds were then used to experiment with the idea of addition and reduction. Below these are images documenting when we moulded the flour domes.
Below these are several photos showing examples of how we chose to add or reduce the flour domes.
Image 1, here most people chose to flick or push flour off of their domes, I chose to throw a full bag of flour into one of them, in doing so I aimed to reduce the dome. Yet in hind sight I've added to the form by adding an entire bag of flour, and reduced its size, its form its state. Image 2, in this image I removed the board with the flour dome altogether leaving the spray of flour from the previous example. In doing so I've reduced the sculptures state, yet I've changed its mass and form, I'm unsure if this change is addition or reduction. Image 3, alternatively this is the reverse to image2, the positive to the negative, this is the board with the flour dome without the spray of flour around it.
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Below these are several other photos documenting other members of the workshops flour domes. which are interesting to look at as these show me how my piers are thinking and how they choose to work.
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Furthermore when it came to sweeping up the flour on the floor I found it intriguing how the flour kept a solid form yet moved like water as it was swept away therefore I documented the flour as t was reduced and swept away.
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The main task set in the workshop was to focus on addition and reduction, whilst working into a cube of plaster, approximately, 25cm3. Below is the cube in its original state before I began to work into it.
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Image 1, here most people chose to flick or push flour off of their domes, I chose to throw a full bag of flour into one of them, in doing so I aimed to reduce the dome. Yet in hind sight I've added to the form by adding an entire bag of flour, and reduced its size, its form its state. Image 2, in this image I removed the board with the flour dome altogether leaving the spray of flour from the previous example. In doing so I've reduced the sculptures state, yet I've changed its mass and form, I'm unsure if this change is addition or reduction. Image 3, alternatively this is the reverse to image2, the positive to the negative, this is the board with the flour dome without the spray of flour around it.
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My initial intention was to create piece very different to my general style I wanted to make a sculpture to how one feels during sleep deprivation which to be honest was how I was feeling at the time. I wanted to shatter the cube into several large blocks which I would then crudely re secure into a cube shape using masking tape, the concept being that a solid form which has been subject to trauma is far more brittle and is on the verge of collapsing yet its will is loosely holding it secure; will being the masking tape. However this concept had to change as seen in image 2 me and a friend attempted to shatter our blocks by slamming them into the concrete floor of the car park. Image 3 shows the results of our efforts, basically the plaster was far stronger than I had anticipated therefore only a few large chunks came off.
Therefore I decided to carve into the block using a hammer and chisel, at this point I was carving without direction. however after a while the shingle like off cuts began to inspire me, I chose to hollow out sections of the block, which I would then refill with the shingles/offcuts, and allow them to poor out, showing a solid form that has been withered down over time. I really liked my final outcome, as it related greatly to my own style, it was beginning to look more figurative and flesh like. This hs got me thinking can I fabricate other solid forms to resemble figurative flesh like figures?
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Below is a photo of the final outcome, below that are several other photos from other angles. I prefer this outcome to my original concept as this relates ore to my own style.
Below are two examples of my piers sculptures from the workshop, the first is similar to my own, with the reintroduction of the off cuts, yet the general form has maintained its cube like shape, which shows how my concept could be reinvisioned. below that is another sculpture, one that I found interesting, the block has been left relatively untouched, yet the simple loop of steel running through it is addition and the hole for the loop is reduction, the general theme of this sculpture eludes me yet I still find it interesting.
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