1. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.
Sculptures are seen as already being inside the block of marble and all the artist has to do is remove it. The artist checks the stone with a hammer to hear the harmonics which checks the block for cracks or inclusions. Sculptures are usually made from clay, bronze, limestone or marble. The environment that the work will live in plays an important part in what type of work the artist makes. A statue that will stay outside all the time will have to be made from a hardier piece of marble then one that will stay indoors. After a work is completed, it made need to be moved so the artist leaves bridges of marble between fragile areas and finishes removing them after the work has made it to its final destination. Most artists will first draw his work, and then sculpt it from clay; this will then be molded from silicone and cast in plaster. The plaster casting will then be used by the final artist to copy and make the sculpture. Most sculptures are created by teams that each has a job. One artist was used to sculpt in clay, one to cast and a final to carve it out of marble. During the final sculpting of a work a point machine is used by an artist to copy the casting perfectly onto the marble. From the time an artists dreams up an idea for a sculpture it can take years until the artist is done creating his work.
Glass is made mainly from silica sand that is mixed with fluxes that contain soda, pot ash, oyster shells or limestone. This flux prevents the glass from becoming too fluid at high temps. This is called Fusion. The glass is heated to a molten state and then a glass blower molds the glass with steel or even his hands using a wet newspaper. The air hardens the glass and the artist has to keep it malleable by heating it again. After the last shape is achieved the glass is fired one last time to make sure that it will withstand changes in temperature, without this step glass would be so fragile that just running it under cold water could break it. Colored glass used in stained glass is originally clear but is chemically bonded to the pigment which makes it permanent but still remains clear. A model of the glass window is made and then traced to scale and the pieces numbered. Each piece of glass is cut out and assembled like a jigsaw puzzle. Lead strips are used to hold the glass pieces together and fastened to each other by soldering them. Ceramics are made using a mix of clay and quartz ground down and mixed with water. This makes a slick that is packed in cylinders. The cylinders are mixed again with water and poured into molds; the pieces are dried a bit and removed from the mold. These pieces are then fully hardened, then fired in a kiln which gives them their strength. A glaze is then applied, either dipped, sprayed or hand painted. These glazes can be either clear or colored depending on the piece. The work is then fired in a kiln one last time to create the finished piece. Glass can be used for windows also; they can reflect heat during the day and cool at night. Glass can be used for protection and also for noise reduction.
Installation art can take over an entire space internally or externally. Most installations are not usually meant to be moved or sold. The locations tend to lead to site specific art; the space that it will take over sometimes helps define the installation. Land art is a good example of this, they usually only can exist in one location. This art is meant to be viewed in three dimensions. The viewer is drawn into the artist’s world and forced to interact with the art. Installation art can contain music, video, painting, performance, architecture and painting, what ever the artist dreams is never-ending. The museum usually has to give up a large space and give it to the artist completely, letting him call all the shots.
2. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?
The videos relate pretty well to the readings. It is always easier to understand concepts by seeing examples for yourself with your own eyes. It is very hard to read about concepts like these without seeing examples on video. Even though the videos are generalized, the text seems to bring all the concepts together. Installation art has to be one of the most diverse forms of art that I have ever witnessed. The different concepts and material used to complete an installation is never ending. This type of art may not even be permanent and is usually destroyed shortly after it is created.
3. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the topics: Sculpture, Installation, and Craft?
I really like the sculpture and installation films. I had no idea the process that was behind creating a sculpture. I thought that one artist just started carving a piece from start to finish; I had no idea that there was a team involved and steps in that process. Seeing the sculpture move from start to finish was amazing, to think that a stone that was so hard could be carved to actually look lifelike and to resemble skin. It was cool to see the man that was roughing out the sculpture, he was like a sub-contractor. I would assume other types of artists use people like him in different art processes from sculpture to painting. Installation art is very interesting, it really seems like there are no limits especially when dealing with outside spaces. I loved the cows that were cut in half; it was cool to see all the different examples of installation art portrayed in the video. I could open the door to my messy garage and call it installation art. The fact that the artists want the viewer to participate in the art and almost forced to participate in the artists concept. The ceramics/glass video was pretty boring and other than the stained glass and blower was not very interesting. The only thing I got out of that video was a need to go to the Museum of Glass in Corning and watch some glass blowing up close and personal.
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