Saturday, April 23rd, 2011:

“Contemporary Sculptural Ceramics”

Objectives
• to practice oral presentation incorporating learned vocabulary
• to describe and discuss a selection of sculptural forms and their makers (artists)
• to understand the different processes of making and modes of presentation involved in contemporary
ceramics
Agenda
• 10 min - Greeting, state today’s
objectives, address questions/concerns
• 50 min - Student’s oral presentation of
homework
• 10 min – Break
• 30 min - Lecture: Contemporary
Ceramics: Sculpture, Installation, Site-
Specific, Environmental
• 10 min - Review vocabulary relating to
both histoical and contemporary art, craft,
and design
• 10 min - Q & A time and Assign
homework  Sergei Isupov, Humanimals, 2011
 Sculpture
When artists choose clay as their medium of expression for sculptural form, they open
their work to a new realm of meanings including history of material, context through
form, and traditions in process.

History of Material Context through Form Traditions in Process

Paul Scott, 2005/2006-ish??  Akio Takamori, sleeping figures series, 2007 Marek Cecula, In Dust Real, 2005
 Installation
Installation signifies a group or single object placed within a defined space; often
temporary and related to the space it occupies.

Jim Cooper, The Last Record Cover, 2010

 Site-Specific
Site-specific work relates to identified
or familiar locations, opens artwork to
new audiences, and offers alternative
ways to experience art.

Clare Twomey, Blossom, 2007

Clare Twomey
Trophy 4000,
Wedgewood Blue Jasper Birds
2006
 Environmental
Environmental work is dependent on its surroundings or setting to complete the work.

Above: Liu Jianhua, Regular/Fragile, 2002-2004

Right: Phoebe Cummings, Between, 2005

 Homework 
Here is a list of vocabulary words that we have used and/or listed in class. Pick one or
two of the words and use them in describing a work of contemporary, non-functional
ceramic art. Decide if you think the work is sculpture, installation, site-specific,
environmental or a combination of these. Please write/type it, and e-mail to me your
sentences before next week’s class!

Colby Parsons & Co. in

front of his work,
“Simulated Weather,”
YCM Biennale, 2010