“Found Object” / Self-Portrait Sculpture
INSTRUCTIONS
Use found objects and the face cast you made in the previous assignment to create a “Self-Portrait sculpture. Ideally, your self-portrait will be a sculpture “in the round”.
You can manipulate your face cast and the objects any way you see fit (take apart, paint, re-arrange, etc.), and you may use multiple casts of your face. You must incorporate found objects in creative and surprising ways to either create a narrative, convey an emotion, thought or feeling, to engage the viewer, or simply for visual appeal.
“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.
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. Consequently, the way you use found objects to establish a context for your face cast will bestow new meaning to the cast itself.
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.
You can use any kind of means to put your sculpture together (glue, tape, wire, string, etc.) but you do have to make sure the way you put things together does not distract from the main sculpture, and that the finished product is sturdy. The final sculpture can be freestanding, hanging on the wall or from the ceiling.
SOME EXAMPLES OF STUDENT WORK FROM PREVIOUS CLASSES
SOME EXAMPLES FROM ART HISTORY (NOT ALL SELF PORTRAITS BUT THEY GIVE GREAT IDEAS)
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