MOST SCULPTURE CAN BE DESCRIBED AS:
- Three-dimensional works occupy physical space such as the sculpture below by Jim Love at the Menil Collection
- Relief sculpture is built up from the surface but still attached such as
the continuous frieze in the Parthenon
- Installations (are often described as sculpture when they are experienced in three dimensions) More senses are activated.
- Additive processes such as the Chinese tomb warriors below are built up by adding clay and shaping it.
- Subtractive processes are used to remove material like the Dogon ritual bench below was created by carving away wood from a larger piece.
- Kinetic sculpture (sculpture which incorporates movement) Alexander Calder created mobiles that move with air currents.
- Casting (used to create multiples or a more permanent replica of a work. It often used for outdoor permanent sculpture like the Henry Moore sculpture below.
Scale (size)
Medium (there can be multiple included)
Public sculpture (permanent)
Public sculpture (temporary or ephemeral)
SELECT ONE OF THE CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS SUPPLIED IN THE THIS WEEKS SCULPTURE MODULE MATERIALS AND USE THE VOCABULARY OF SCULPTURE TO DESCRIBE ONE OF THE 5 ARTISTS WORKS. This process will also serve as a practice for applying all that we have learned this semester. FOLLOW MY EXAMPLE BELOW:
EXAMPLE: I WILL USE AN EXAMPLE FROM EARLIER IN THE SEMESTER 
General description: THE FOLLOWING SHOULD BE APPLIED GENERALLY WHEN VIEWING WORKS OF ART
NAME OF THE ARTIST (if known)- Do Ho-Suh
TITLE OF WORK (if available)
DATE THE WORK WAS CREATED (if available)-2003
MEDIUM- Stainless steel dog tags
SUBJECT MATTER- Installation with a larger than life-sized robe, made completely of shiny stainless steel dog tags. The robe spills onto the floor creating a circular pool extending out into the room. To look more closely at the work, you have to walk across the metal garment on the floor. Stepping on the dog tags would create sound.
SCULPTURAL PROCESS- Additive process was used to attach thousands of dog tags to a hidden framework
h occupied, but it is empty. The negative space creates a dark and empty central area of a robe held up by thousands of like individuals.
THE FOLLOWING SHOULD BE CONSIDERED TO FURTHER ANALYZE WORKS OF ART AND LEAD TO A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR CONTENT
HOW DOES THE ARTIST USE FORMAL ELEMENTS? (which elements are important, and why?
COLOR and LIGHT- Shiny silver dog tags reflect light and appear new. Are these newly conscripted soldiers? Are others dying in numbers that these replace? The silver surface acts like a mirror with multiple images of self reflected back.
LINE- The garment creates a circular outline on the floor, guiding the viewer around the work. Row after row of dog tags repeat the outline circling the garment over and over, leading around and around. The lines are created from thousands of individual dogtags. Each with a person’s name inscribed on it.
SPACE- The sculpture occupies the center of the room. The Negative space in the center of the garment implies emptiness. The garment has volume as thoug
TIME- Time is an important element and references to it are made by so many individual dog tags indicating individual lives. Military service may end in loss of life. Questions of lives supporting an empty robe also reference the temporal aspects of life.
CULTURAL CONTEXT- (Is it important to reference the cultural context to understand the Content or the intention of the artist?) Do Ho Suh was born in Korea. In interviews, the artist speaks of the requirement of all young men to serve in the Korean military after High School. He speaks of his military training as a process of dehumanization and what it takes for one human to kill another.
CONTENT: What do you think is the meaning of the work of art, considering all of the information that you have put together? Do Ho Suh’s installation uses thousands of military dog tags; each with a name inscribed on it, to indicate thousands of individuals. Paradoxically, the replication and sameness of the tags also denied any individuality. All become anonymous parts of an empty whole. The piece is exquisitely beautiful with its shiny and seductive surface, but devoid of humans. It left me asking questions about the value of individual lives.
NAME OF THE ARTIST
TITLE OF WORK
DATE THE WORK WAS CREATED
MEDIUM-
SUBJECT MATTER-
SCULPTURAL PROCESS-
THE FOLLOWING SHOULD BE CONSIDERED TO FURTHER ANALYZE WORKS OF ART AND LEAD TO A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR CONTENT
HOW DOES THE ARTIST USE FORMAL ELEMENTS? (which elements are important, and why?
COLOR and LIGHT- ?.
LINE- ?
SPACE-
SCALE AND PROPORTION?
TIME MOTION MOVEMENT
CULTURAL CONTEXT- (Is it important to reference the cultural context to understand the Content or the intention of the artist?)
CONTENT: What do you think is the meaning of the work of art, considering all of the information that you have put together?
