Introduction to Sculpture Instructor: Alicia Eggert, eggert@alfred.

edu
TA: Jonas Lindberg, JDL8@alfred.edu
Class Blog: introtosculpture2010.blogspot.com
ART255-01 M+T 1:20-4:10 Binns Merrill SB01

Presentations
You will be randomly assigned a specific material, process, or sculptural genre to research that will be related to topics and
techniques explored in this class. The goal of this assignment is for the class to better understand where our materials come
from and what the environmental impact of their use and production may be. We should also hope to gain a general knowledge
of the various roles these media and processes have played in art making throughout history.

Each presentation should be approximately 10 minutes long. Two students will be assigned to each date and topic, so please
coordinate the subject matter of your presentation with your partner so as not to be repetitive. Reading your paper word-for-
word to the class during your presentation should be avoided. Please only use it as a reference.

Slideshow Blog Post

20 JPG images
Suitable image size and quality for projection:
72 ppi, no smaller than 300 pixels in smallest dimension.
Save your images on a jump drive that can easily be
plugged into a computer and dragged into preview for the
slideshow.
Blog posts must be completed the night after your
presentation or they will be considered late. Post your
images on the blog, followed by the content of your paper.
This post should be labeled both with your name and also
“Presentations”, so it can be easily accessed. Include the
links from your bibliography at the bottom of your post.

If you are assigned to research artists and artworks, you

Schedule
must show at least 5 different artists, one of which is not
on the list given below. Try going to the slide library in January 26 : Wood
th

Scholes and researching work made by past MFA grads. Tree farming/harvesting (how? where?), history of
woodworking (craft vs. fine art vs. outsider art), different
forms wood takes (lumber, hardwood, softwood, plywood)
Research Paper February 2 : Wood Sculpture
nd

Martin Puryear, Richard Deacon, Dan Webb, Tadashi

A one-page paper should be handed in on the day of your
presentation. Attach an informal bibliography that lists links
to the websites on which you found the information or
images, books, articles or other sources on a second page.
Kawamata, David Nash, Louise Nevelson, Whiting Tennis,
Louise Bourgeois, Mike Rea, Matt Bua, Joseph Cornell and
others (at least one artist not mentioned here)
February 9 : Mold-Making and Casting
th

If you are assigned to research a sculptural genre:
Include bios/statements about each artist you choose to
focus on (date of birth, along with a short description about
the style and general content of their work overall).
History of mass production (industrial revolution), building
construction (cast concrete), everyday contemporary uses
(what everyday objects are made in this way?
bottles/containers, metal/plastic/glass objects, food, etc.)
February 16 : Cast Sculpture
th

Include titles/dates of specific works you show.
Compare and contrast the works formally and conceptually,
and describe how it plays a role in art history.
If you are assigned to research a particular material or
Rachel Whiteread, Banks Violette, Do-Ho Suh, Eva Hesse,
Robert Gober, Antony Gormley, Janine Antoni, Juan Munoz,
Rebecca Holland, Walter McConnell, Kiki Smith, Mathew
Barney, Livia Marin and others (at least one artist not
mentioned here)
February 23 : Wax rd

process: Different types (microcrystalline, candle wax, beeswax, etc),

environmental and health hazards associated with the
Include a general history of it (don’t get caught up in material, naturally occurring vs. manmade
technical details, focus on the bigger picture).
March 16 : Steel and Welding
th

State how/where it is made or used (What area of the
world do the resources come from? What is its
environmental impact? Is it a renewable resource?).
State its various historical/contemporary uses in art, craft
How/where the metal is mined and how/where steel is
made, environmental and health hazards associated with the
material, history of welding (craft vs. fine art vs. outsider art)
March 23 : Metal Sculpture
rd

or industry. David Smith, Anthony Caro, Antony Gormley, Richard Serra,

Alexander Calder, Antoine Pevsner, Edward Mayer, Judy
Pfaff, Lee Bontecou, Wim Delvoye, Albert Paley, and others
(at least one artist not mentioned here)