abstract sculpture unit
DESCRIPTION
Informational presentation for beginning sculpture classes. Focuses on three sculptors who use abstraction in their work: Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Constantin Brancusi. Students will use their work as inspiration to create their own abstract sculpture carved from plaster.TRANSCRIPT
Abstract Sculpture Examples
(3 Artists)Art 3/D Comp I
You need your SB. Information in italics you will need to record, as well as all sculptures.
Artists that used carving as a method to create sculpture
• Henry Moore• Barbara Hepworth• Constantin Brancusi
Henry Moore: look at these websites
• The Henry Moore Foundation• Artcyclopedia
Henry Moore Biography
• British Sculptor• 1898-1986• Son of a coal miner
Henry Moore Biography
• Studied at the Royal College of Art in London until 1925
• Attracted to African, Pre-Columbian, and Medieval art
Henry Moore Biography
• Worked in plaster, stone, and bronze
• Influenced by the contours of nature and the human figure
Henry Moore Biography
• Henry Moore is famous for working abstractly.
• He simplified objects by breaking them down into curves, angles, and shapes
Henry Moore Biography
• For example, his 1939 sculpture Reclining Figure is known for a series of holes that pierce the solid mass and transforms it into a kind of landscape of caves and tunnels
Reclining Figure by Henry Moore
• Carved from Elm (wood)
• 1939
Two Piece Reclining Figure No. 5
• Bronze
Family Group
• Carved Stone
Large Interior Form
• Bronze
Barbara Hepworth
• British sculptor• 1903-1975• Was close friends with Henry Moore
and his art influenced hers.• Her interest in sculpture began when
she visited Italy in 1925 and learned how to carve marble.
Barbara Hepworth
• Was attracted to Egyptian and Greek art.
• She married British artist Ben Nicholson and they worked together to make successful art.
Barbara Hepworth
• In 1939 she began incorporating string into her sculpture.
Barbara Hepworth
• She also focused on working with wood.
• What would be the advantage to carving wood over stone?
Barbara Hepworth
• Title: Oval Sculpture• Media: Wood with painted white interior
Barbara Hepworth
• Title: Garden• Media: Bronze
Barbara Hepworth
• Title: Conoid Sculpture and Hollow II
• Marble
Barbara Hepworth
• Title: Wave
• Date: 1943
• Media: wood with white painted interior and strings
Barbara Hepworth
• Title: Two Segments and Sphere
• Date: 1935-1936• Media: Marble
Constantin Brancusi
• Born in Romania• Lived from 1876-1957
Constantin Brancusi
• Ran away at age 11 and worked as an apprentice to a cabinet maker
• In 1904 Brancusi left to study art in Paris
Constantin Brancusi
• Worked in marble, plaster, and bronze
• Experimented with the form of the egg, human head, and teardrop
Constantin Brancusi
• He used the egg (as a metaphor) to concentrate on ideas of creation, birth, life, and death.
• Title: The Newborn
Constantin Brancusi
• He also focused on variations of abstracting the human face and body.
Constantin Brancusi
• Title: Mademoiselle Pogany III
• Date: 1931• Marble• This sculpture
lacks a mouth and the brows merge gracefully into the nose.
Constantin Brancusi
• Title: The Muse• Media: white
marble• Date: 1912
• What does the word muse mean?
Constantin Brancusi
• Title: Bird in Space• Date: 1925• Media: marble,
bronze, and wood
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Brancusi exhibit in the Philadelphia Museum of Art
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Sketchbook Assignment
• As other students are mixing and pouring their cups, work on this entry in your sketchbook
• Draw out 2 idea sketches that demonstrate the elements and principles of design.
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• Try to focus on abstraction—the shape & form of your idea can remind you of concrete objects, but shouldn’t obviously resemble them.
• Think back to the images of Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, and Brancusi—use them as inspiration!!
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Your 3 idea sketches must include:
• A “negative space” carved through the sculpture that you can see through.
• Colored with colored pencils to show what you want your finished sculpture to look like.
• Front and back views.
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• Tomorrow you will finish your drawings; together we will choose the best one.
• You will create a maquette: a small, scale model of your sculpture idea, It is used to visualize and test shapes and ideas without producing a final product.
• You will use modeling clay to make your maquette. 3
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Brainstorming
• You can start out by drawing a simple object, then simplifying it (removing detail, using simple shapes and curves).
• Or, you can think about combining simple shapes and forms: geometric or organic.
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