Sculpture, Ceramics, Installation

In the “Through the eyes of the sculptor” video, the key elements I learned from this video were how the artists will move away from where they live in order to learn more about where they are from. Learning about where their culture plays an important part in the works they create; this was also mentioned in this week’s readings. I also never knew about restoration artists and how they are rarely asked to carve an entire sculpture. The role that they play is a very interesting one. I also liked the fact that most sculptors work on more than one piece at a time to keep their ideas fresh. It makes sense to me. It just like when I am working on multiple papers, I will take a break from one, start another and then return to the first to give my mind a break and refresh my thoughts on that topic. I love the way that Emmanuel Fillion describes the sculpting process. He says, “A sculpture comes alive in clay, dies in plaster and is reborn in marble.” The process is truly intricate and fascinating.

The “Glass and Ceramics” video broke down the process of how glass was made. I really liked the fact that they explained and depicted what happens to the sand and other components that are added when it is being heated. I had no idea that ceramic materials can be stronger than steel! That was another thing I found to be quite interesting. We see how glass is used in “green architecture” due to its ability to keep in the coolness in air conditioned buildings as well as reinforce heat instillation. Throughout this video they start off speaking of glass as more of an art form and then transition into its usefulness, thus being the craft of creating glass.

I never knew that Installation Art was so controversial and would never have understood why if not for this video. The works of Richard Wilson are very interesting. I like the way he pushes the boundaries. I would have to say that Instillation Art just might be my favorite type of art. This is because I like the idea of art not being confined to the indoor setting of a gallery but rather created in a grand scale to interact with the outdoor environment.