Associate Professor Thomas Sakoulas
State University of New York at Oneonta : Art Department
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“Found Objects" Sculpture


Pablo Picasso, 1943
Found Objects

INSTRUCTIONS
(Your assignment might vary. Check your class handouts)

Employ found objects to create a sculpture “in the round”.

“ Found objects” are objects that have been created for a purpose other than art, and are usually every day objects, easily recognized for a utilitarian function.

Their meaning in every day life is usually derived from their context in which we use them. By altering the objects’ context, or their form we can modify their meaning and significance.


Man Ray

A successful design should incorporate objects of either formal or emotional significance, in a way in which the whole becomes more important than its individual parts.

In simple terms, your task will be to find objects which you consider significant, and then to put them together in a unique way - transcending them thus to a higher level of visual understanding.

Do not let the beauty of the “Found Objects” seduce you to the point of forgetting that the final design must be more interesting than the elements that comprise it. This means that your piece should display a good understanding of Form, Space, Content, and must be carefully constructed.

 


Man Ray

‘FOUND OBJECTS’ CAN BE (but are not limited to):

Tools (your own)
household items
furniture
photographs
toys
books
maps
clothes
shells
animal skeletons
feathers

etc.

Could you create artwork that could shed different light on what everyone sees as mundane objects?


Joseph Beuys

Discussion Topics: Analyzing the image on the left...

  • What are the ramifications of the objects joined in such way?
  • How many possible levels of meanings can you derive from viewing this found object piece?
  • How do you think the artist arrived at such conclusion?
  • Does this piece question your idea of what Art is? Why? How?

 

 

SOME ARTISTS WHOSE WORK MIGHT HELP YOU WITH THIS PROJECT

Joseph Cornell
Louise Nevelson[Bio]
Marcel Duchamp
[Bio]
Robert Rauschenberg
Lucas Samaras
Man Ray, [Statement]
Joseph Beuys [Bio]
Salvatore Scarpitta [paintings and found objects]

Student Work examples:

More examples are available in the gallery

Also, take a look at these mixed media works from Art History, including a great deal of "Found Object sculptures"

Some "mixed media" art from students of the sculpture class is also interesting.