A new era of black humour within art began in the early part of the twentieth century. Dadaism evolved out of the ashes of the first world war. We saw the emergence of ‘ready-made’ as Dadaism characterised itself by subverting convention with a contemptuous use of irreverent humour. Dadaism champions improvisation and freedom of expression within art. It examines how chance plays a part within creative endeavour. Duchamp’s ‘Fountain’ is believed to have come from within the structure of the movement. The presentation of the ready-made fountain to the general public must surely have been a trick? It stands out as a quintessential example of black humour within art. Zoom forward in time and we witness the continued tradition in artists like Sarah Lucas. Much of her work appears to identify with black humour. Her stuffed stockings mimic frazzled, anorexic, limp figures that can barely sit in the most uncomfortable of chairs. The viewer experiences an uneasy awareness that oscillates somewhere between melancholy and irony.
When referencing my own clay sculpture depicting an unfamiliar form, the following information might go some way in explaining how I might achieve a decipherable understanding of my own creations. I am speaking of the unplanned of course. Equally interesting is the fact that different people see different things when it comes to shapes, that brings us back to the Rorschach ink blots. In an effort to explain the concept of uncanny, Freud wrote an essay, Das Unheimliche (1919). It explored the strangeness of waxworks and dolls. He used the words ‘heimliche (base word) and ‘unheimliche’ (adjective) as a vehicle to promote his thoughts on ‘the uncanny’. Heimliche is identical to its opposite, unheimliche. In Freuds paper we are told that the word heimliche exists within two separate understandings. These understandings do not oppose each other, yet, they differ greatly.
One interpretation reads as recognizable, acceptable, cosy and homely whilst the other means to conceal, keep from sight, clandestine and secret. Unheimliche translates into eerie, weird and creepy and is usually used as a counter to the first signifier of heimliche but not that of the second. According to Freud the ‘Uncanny’ is what we unwittingly unveil in our own psyche; in turn, revealing our own suppressed desires. Boiled down, Freud submits the hypothesis that societal disapproval often exhibits/reveals a feeling or expression of righteous piety and to a greater extent, a sense of dread and revulsion. Freud posits that an item considered to be taboo gives rise to the prevailing belief that that of which is concealed from public view is inevitably a perilous menace or perhaps even a curse. This idea becomes more potent when the item in question is of a sexual nature. Aspects of uncanny are understood to threaten our own self critical conscience that dreads chastisement for straying from what society deems acceptable.
Contemporary artist McCarthy’s work aims to shock and question the status quo. He combines performance and sculpture to push the boundaries. From throwing himself around a ketchup smeared classroom, vomiting and covering himself in his own excrement up to his recent focus on the West. He delves into Hollywood and the way in which it represents how America sees itself. His work is an assembly of psychology and physicality that appropriates the west. He utilises familiar imagery of wagons and stagecoaches. His work often incites and agitates. He favours the mediums of film, sculpture, painting, drawing and photography. He targets popular culture, commercialism and human inhibitions. His art centres on the unsettling use of human bodily fluids, sex and orifices.
“Paul McCarthy, Shit Pile, 2007” by admkrm is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
McCarthy takes American culture and turns it on its head. He uses and re-appropriates icons like Snow White, Barbie and Santa Claus in a way that shocks. He appears to revel in the production of work that is awkward to view or induces disgust. Perhaps McCarthy’s motive behind such an anarchic approach is to bring about analytical debate on the most revered and intrinsic of conventions. I feel mildly confident in drawing a lesser comparison to my clay Churchill sculpture in part three of this course to that of McCarthy’s performance and sculpture work. It too, challenges the status quo. Churchill’s wartime accomplishments are well documented in a positive light. They are woven into the British psyche. Very little is known or talked about regarding Churchill’s role in stifling women’s voting rights, the Bengal famine or deploying troops against the miners. Although unwittingly, my brutal act of splitting the head might well be interpreted as a commentary on dissociation identity disorders.
I have found my tutor’s positive comments encouraging. They are pushing my confidence towards new frontiers. I found his advice particularly useful with regards to further research following his appraisal of my clay work. I am confident that research will help me to develop new ideas into the future. I thought my tutor’s assertions about my ‘Churchill’ sculpture were intriguing. I was initially amused by his suggestion that this work might be interpreted as a performative act. Upon reflection and research, I begin to see and note the correlation.
It was reassuring to read my tutor’s comments regarding the standard of my clay work. I was always left with the feeling of ‘could do better’ upon completion of each piece. I felt much more at ease working with plaster, a medium of which I am more familiar with. I was flattered to have my work compared to that of Caro’s if only in style and not quality. Also pleasing was my tutor’s acknowledgement of my attention to technical detail, specifically, my comments regarding weatherproofing plaster. Reading between the lines, I think my tutor has correctly identified ‘Julie’ as the cream of the crop within assignment three. It felt good to get such a positive reaction. I am delighted with the comment regarding my bronze patina effect.
My tutor’s more honed observations on the possible connotations of the figure got me thinking. I am not about to pretend that anything like the subjects of stigmata or martyrdom had crossed my mind. I wish it had. It’s a perfect concept and befits the piece perfectly. I envy my tutors perception. Needless to say, I intend to run with the idea and rename ‘Julie’ ‘Stigmata’. My tutor’s comments appear to be a reflection of my efforts and the attention to detail on this particular piece. I am encouraged to explore this method of creating sculpture further. The most enjoyable aspect of this creative process was to convey the illusion of aged bronze with the inventive use of acrylic paints.
I am still feeling my way around writing about my ideas. I recognise that this is a good way of developing and inspiring my work. I am confident my writing and research skills will improve as the course progresses and I gain a deeper understanding of the subject of sculpture. Following my tutor’s comments with regard to my sketches, I look forward to producing more radical experimental drawings than those already produced. I intend to use quality photographic software in combination with unconventional paper and drawing tools that will yield Rorschach type images. I will continue to think about developing news ways of expressing my ideas via the mediums of painting and drawing.
Zucker. S. (2010) Parthenon, North Frieze, Slabs 43 and 44 (Horsemen)Harrsch.M. (2004) Trajan’s Column Depicting Scenes From The Dacian Wars Roman 2nd century CE
Lorenzo Ghiberti (1378-1455)
Matt (2010) Baptistry door – 2/4
Auguste Rodin (1840-1917)
Zucker. S. (2014) Auguste Rodin, The Gates of Hell, 1880-1917, plaster
Rachel Whiteread (b 1963)
cwangdom (2006) Whiteread_02: Rachel Whiteread’s House
‘Ambassador, you spoil us’ (2019). Material: Plaster. Height: 64 cm
For my first in a series of plaster sculptures I used empty rigid plastic food containers. I began by filling five salad containers with my plaster. I’d already determined that these hemispheres could be joined to form spheres. I placed plastic piping in each poured piece. I left enough pipe protruding to be able to form a connection with the next stage of the moulding. Once the first half had set I began to de-mould. I filled another five containers and then placed the set pieces over the liquid plaster to form the spheres. The plastic piping formed a solid bond. I could have used wood doweling but since I had the pipe kicking around my garage for years, I thought I’d do something useful with it. I had toyed with the idea of doing the entire piece using plaster dye, hence the blue globe at the top. As I began to construct the piece I started to think how others might interpret the end result. At first I wasn’t sure which layout I was going to follow. I had done the drawings. Each idea seemed feasible and aesthetically pleasing but would they stand up to the balance test? It wasn’t a case of ‘you’ve only got one shot at this’. I thought about getting it wrong right from the beginning. I would use a long heavy base as a counter balance. A chicken thigh package did the trick.
The five balls were heavy and I knew I’d have to use something robust for doweling. I found some 10 mm aluminium tubing in my studio. I drilled a hole in the base and two (one top and one bottom) on each ball. The top ball needed just one at its base. I drilled the holes using masonry drills in three incremental sizes. It is easier to drill plaster if you continue to clear plaster dust as you go. I used the tube to connect each piece on to the other and then to the thigh package base. I did not glue at this stage. Once I’d determined a layout that I was happy with then I could start gluing each piece together. I had learned that it is imperative to seal bare plaster if you need the glue to work properly. I used Gorilla glue in this instance. There are a few different types of Gorilla glue. The one I used acts like an expanding foam. I glued two balls together and waited a few hours before adding them to the base.
I used a full five litre container to support the balls as the glue set. Patience was the key. I added the other balls in increments, each time propping them with wood batten wedged between each ball and a nearby wall. Once finished, dried and set I painted the surfaces with Zinsser primer. I used a gold spray top coat from Aldi supermarket. I’d snapped up several cans of the spray some months prior. I’d purchased a can several years ago and marvelled at its appearance. Many metallic sprays on the market do not match the hype. They must have changed the recipe because I was not impressed with the results this time around. I waited a few days and tried another brand with more pleasing results.
My sculpture symbolises the infinity of human greed and the infinite suffering of those exploited by those in pursuance of vast wealth. My inspirations for this work were Brancusi’s ‘Endless Column’ (1937) and Stephan Siebers ‘Balance’ (1998). Unlike Brancusi, I neglected to use half a sphere at the top as a component to further accentuate the concept of infinity.
‘Arizona’ (2019). Material: Plaster. Height: 48 cm.
I wanted to combine the look of heat with a shape loosely based on a cactus plant. I started off with two bottles, one cup, one lid from a salad bowl (left over from previous project), a biscuit packing case and personal headphone blister pack. The bottles necks were going to need cutting with my Dremel disc cutter once plaster had hardened. To create the streaking effect, I first randomly squirted blobs of yellow watery plaster onto each surface. Before the yellow plaster set, I completely filled each item with a vibrant red plaster mix. I could see the merging effect taking place through the transparent containers. Once set, I de-moulded each container.
In my mind I’d already tasked myself with building a totemic structure to resemble that of a cactus. Taking into account the size and weight of the proposed structure, I’d calculated that 3 mm wire would be sufficient for joining each piece. I used the wire in conjunction with the same Gorilla glue used in the previous project. I think I managed to capture the essence of aridity with this piece. I drew inspiration from ‘Cactus man 1’ by Gonzalez (1939) and the book sleeve for ‘Underland’ by Robert Macfarlane
‘Biomorphia’ (2019). Material: Plaster. Height: 49 cm.
I wanted to use balloons for at least one sculpture in project 8. It was pure experimentation to start. I carried out some rough sketches to get some ideas going. I had it all mapped out in my head, how easy it was going to be etc. Of course logic tells you that pouring plaster into a balloon via a funnel just is not going to work, well at least not over and above a few dribbles. I cut a large plastic water bottle in half. I thought that would do as a disposable funnel. I taped the balloon over the neck end of the bottle. As I started to pour the plaster it soon became apparent that I needed to somehow force it into the rubber. I put my lips and cheeks over the open end of the bottle and blew with an almighty force. Bingo! It worked. It was uncomfortable and not a satisfactory way to achieve my goal. It wasn’t long before I came up with a better idea. I purchased a silicone cake decorating bag with a selection of nozzles. This proved to be ideal. Any residual set plaster could easily be removed and the bag washed ready for continual use. The bag worked a treat. I still taped the balloon to the nozzle just to be sure of preventing a messy leak.
The whole process was quite nerve wracking. There was a constant fear that a balloon might burst throughout the operation. Once the balloon had been filled to its capacity I released it from the nozzle and tied a knot in the usual way. I now had ten minutes or so to manipulate the balloon into shape. It was like battling with a greasy sausage with a mind of its own. It soon became clear that it was going to be a difficult task to match anything approaching my initial ideas. My first of five pieces took on an organic, natural form. The second piece was formed from a round balloon. I took the first set piece and pressed it into the top centre of the second unset piece. I waited for the second piece to set. This process would be the template for the formation of subsequent pieces. For three pieces I used plaster dye that resembled jade in colour. I used plain plaster for the two alternating pieces. I had already decided to use a metallic bronze spray on these. I wanted to achieve a sharp contrast to the jade. Once all the pieces had been formed I began to fix them together using dowelling and glue. I followed the usual method of drilling each piece with a progressive use of drill sizes.
Sculpture to be Lost in the Forest 1932, cast c.1953-8 Jean Arp (Hans Arp) 1886-1966 Accepted by HM Government in lieu of tax and allocated to the Tate Gallery 1986 http://www.tate.org.uk/art/work/T04854
After a few days had passed I began to question my choice of colour and positioning of each piece. I decided to leave the colour but alter the topmost piece. I took the radical decision to do the unexpected. I have some advanced photographic software that allows me to manipulate images. I did a few mirror shots of ‘Biomorphia’. They remind me of the Rorschach ink blot tests. I think the images give a whole new perspective on existing sculpture and I can see it being a useful tool for the creation of some exciting work. I have been inspired by the works of Jean Arp (1886-1966).
Mirrored 1Mirrored 2
Pig iron shuffle (2019). Material: Plaster. Height: 54 cm.
Once again I decided to showcase balance within sculpture. I had a collection of identical sliced vegan cheese packages which I chose to use as moulds. I wanted to push the envelope a little further by fixing two pieces face to face. I placed five moulds on the floor. I placed two plastic conduits in each piece before they began to set. Once they had set I filled a further five moulds and placed the set pieces on top of each. On setting, I had five solid back to back pieces. Could anyone identify this shape now? I had in mind some cards tumbling from a shufflers hand. I would work from that mental image to achieve my goal. I wanted to capture the illusion of a frozen moment in time. I followed the same technique as in the previous projects. There were problems. Each piece was quite weighty and once all five had been assembled the first two pieces in the structure came loose. It was clear that I needed to use a different glue. I had to disassemble each piece. I cleaned out the old glue and used a polymer to seal the porosity of the plaster dowelling holes. I used a quality super glue. This seems to have worked well.
Once everything was in place I painted the structure using a tinted quality primer (Zinsser). I tinted the primer base using liquid dyes purchased from Special Plasters. I finished the whole sculpture using my own authentic rust effect. I now had my innocuous cascading pig iron castings. The sculptures balancing act occupies its surrounding space and exhibits a sharp degree of continuous rigidity. The totemic nature of the sculpture exploits symmetry and gravitation. I think of it in terms of an invitation to contemplate the balance between the natural world and global industrialisation as the world slides inexorably towards climatic calamity.
Copper cage (2019). Material: Plaster. Height: 30 cm.
For this final piece in a series of five, I decided to create something with a more rugged textured finish. I initially thought of using bubble wrap as a mould. I had intended to somehow suspend the material from a makeshift tripod. I lost my nerve and instead elected to use food packaging as support cases. I laid the bubble wrap rough side up and poured plaster into several shapes.
I wasn’t too particular about how I placed the material inside the packaging. I knew the resulting creases would lend more character to the piece. I wanted to achieve another industrial looking finish. The bubble wrap left deep indentations on the surface of each piece. After brush painting with primer I decided to spray on the final coat. It was the only way to achieve full coverage by reaching into the tight creases and indentations. I used a matt black stove paint. I finished the surface using a copper wax applied with my nitrile gloved hand. I thought the contrasting colours worked well.
Whiteread is a British artist. Casted sculptures dominate her wide range of work. She succeeded in becoming the first woman to be awarded the Turner Prize in 1993. As one of the ‘Young British Artists’ her work had been exhibited at the 1997 ‘Sensation Exhibition’. Amidst her most notable sculptures are the ‘Judenplatz Holocaust Memorial’, ‘House’ and ‘Untitled Monument’. ‘House’ 1993, was created by filling an East London derelict house with concrete. The structure acted as the female mould. Works like ’House’ explore negative space that surrounds objects or are contained by objects. The sculpture was destroyed shortly after its creation.
Whiteread. R. (1993) ‘House’
Sir Anthony Douglas Cragg CBE RA (1949)
Liverpool born Cragg began his artistic career in the 1970s, concentrating on conceptual and minimalist art. Latterly, Cragg delved into surface and form using a wide range of materials. These included stone, wood, metal, rubber, plastic and Kevlar. The influence of Arte Povera and Landart can be seen in much of his works. These works were based on found objects, ready-mades and so-called ‘poor materials.’ Whilst constantly searching for a ‘missing form’, Cragg’s creations began to grow in their complexity. With each new work, he seeks to construct something to amaze himself as much as the observer. Cragg attempts to bypass the observer’s sentimental responses and appeal above all, to their cerebral strengths. He encourages the viewer to be more diagnostic in their approach when attempting to make sense of his work. Each of his new sculptures seems to be a derivative of previous works whilst intensifying in their intricacy. Cragg utilises drawing as a tool to fashion and create his sculptures. This medium enables him to work out problems relating to form in preparation for 3D applications.
Cragg. A. (2005) ‘Constant Change’
Eva Hesse (1936-1970)
German born American Hesse was an early pioneer of 1960’s post minimalism. As a sculptor, she worked with a wide range of materials including fibre glass, rope, cheesecloth, latex and plastics. Her abstract sculptures thoroughly undermined the aesthetics conventions of her time. She renounced the norms associated with monumental sculptures in preference to eccentricity. It has been suggested that Hesse’s choice of impermanent materials reflected her belief that their ephemeral nature demonstrated the passage of time. She was one of the first artists to examine the flowing curves of the biological sphere of nature. She was a proponent of elementary artistic expression and much of her work has been described as eccentric. With her piece ‘Hang Up’ (1966), she manages to combine two- and three-dimensional works. She added a length of metal to a hanging canvas, resulting in the canvas becoming a sculpture. This came to signify Hesse’s progression from two to three-dimensional practise. Hesse abandoned attitudes towards spatial relationships and form that prevailed at the time, declaring ‘Chaos can be structured as non chaos’.
Hesse. E. (1966) ‘Hang up’
Lynn Chadwick (1914-2003)
Chadwick was part of a new breed of British sculptors to feature work at the 1952 Venice Biennale. Their work was a departure from traditional sculptural practise. They replaced materials like wood, stone and marble with plaster, iron and modern composites. Their work represented a departure from mass and an intensification of line. Chadwick’s career as a sculptor lasted nearly fifty years. His pathway to sculpture was unorthodox. He started out as a draughtsman for London Architect, Rodney Thomas. His work involved exhibition design with an emphasis on construction. He began making mobiles constructed using balsa wood, wire, brass shapes and cut copper. These fish-like works were often integrated into exhibitions as ornamental features. He looked towards iron as a medium, preferring its definite lines. He thought of clay as being nebulous and too soft. He could not envisage what shape clay should be. As a draughtsman he would have been more at ease producing three dimensional drawings for his chosen medium. Chadwick’s distinctive way of working largely contributed to the style of his sculptures. He formed three dimensional shapes by welding steel rods and fashioned them into framework. He rarely sketched his ideas prior to sculpting, preferring to illustrate upon completion of work. He would fill his armatures with plaster loaded with iron filings. The sculptures would be fashioned into a smooth or textured surface. He would continue this practise until the late 1950’s. At this point he resolved to cast his work in bronze. His once exclusive work could now be expanded into the production of editions.
Chadwick. L. (1991) ‘Stairs’
Sarah Lucas (b.1962)
British contemporary artist Lucas is renowned for sculpture, performance and corporeal photography. She uses everyday materials to produce coarse and provocative commentary on death, sexuality and gender. Her work is defined by its tongue in cheek humour. She uses found items, cigarettes, toilets, newspapers, tights, food and furniture. The human form is at the centre of much of her work. During the 1990’s Lucas utilised photography to create a sequence of self portraits. The images portrayed an ingratiating blend of susceptibility and posture. Her foray into photography established an uncomplimentary mood for future work. ‘Great Dates’ (1992) is a montage made up of fragments taken from salacious leaflets discovered in London telephone kiosks. For her piece ‘Christ, you know it ain’t easy’ (2003), Lucas borrows lyrics from the Beatles song ‘The ballad of John and Yoko’ (1969). This sculpture was constructed using fibre glass and then clad in Marlborough cigarettes.
‘Tools of the trade’ (2019) Material: Plaster. Height 40 cm x Width 30 cm
I started my project by cutting some 3 x 1 inch prepared timber to an optimum size. I screwed the pieces together to form a rectangular frame. Using a rolling pin, I rolled out some clay to an even thickness of approximately 2 inches. I then placed the frame over the clay and pressed down hard. This left an impression of the internal dimensions and allowed me to accurately trim the clay to size. Once I’d cast the excess clay aside, I replaced the frame over the remaining clay and smoothed further using a decorators scraper. It was important to get an accurate fit up to all edges. Any gaps that are left might allow wet plaster to seep away from the frame. From experience, I know leaks can be plugged using clay, however, prevention is better than cure. I initially struggled to come up with an idea for this first bas-relief. I was rooting around for some screws and saw some tools staring back at me. Bingo, this would make do as the basis of my project.
I began to randomly press tools into the soft surface of the clay. I discovered that talc really did help with a clean release. I used two pairs of pliers, a tape measure, a small spirit level, a trimming knife, screw drivers, drill bits, a spanner and a wrench. Once I’d completed the impressions, I smeared vaseline around the internal sides of the frame. This would allow for ease of release upon completion of casting. Washing up liquid would have been sufficient but vaseline is 100% fail-safe. I mixed the plaster in a flexible plastic bucket and poured the mixture over the impression. The coverage was about an inch thick. I poked some jute into the plaster. This would give the plaque added strength. I cut and shaped some 2mm copper wire for a hanging hook. I strategically placed the wire into the plaster. I used copper because steel would rust and bleed through over time. An hour later, I carefully turned the full and heavy frame. I unscrewed the frame and peeled away the heavy, thick layer of clay. The results were quite pleasing.
Once cast, I washed all clay residue from the casting. High pressure hose was effective. I wanted to dry the plaster as much as possible before painting. I placed the plaque on a radiator when central heating was on. Another tip is to place in oven when cooking of food is finished (always check with the wife though). Once it had fully dried out, I gave it a coat of primer. I thought about how I could accentuate the protruding shapes. It had to look industrial. I chose a matt black acrylic paint as the background and metallic silver wax to highlight the tools. I thought the finishes complimented each other. A grimy finish that communicates an industrial feel, perhaps.
‘Brexmas greetings’ (2019) Material: Plaster. Height 40 cm x Width 30 cm
I based this plaque on a previous effort in the first part of this course. It is succinct. It reflects my own feelings on how we treat people seeking refuge in our country. I feel a combination of embarrassment and anger at the current political climate in our country. The subject of immigration seems to have been hijacked to further certain political ambitions and stoke animosity within those less enlightened. It was so easy to sow seeds of fear and division into the minds of so many people primed for so many years. Some people appear to thrive on the constant drip feeding of xenophobia led mainly by certain sections of the media. We’ve had a couple of known beach landings here at Pett Level. Some onlookers were metaphorically baying for blood, goading the local police into action. I had to remind someone that these were human beings. It’s a complex problem that’s not going to go away soon. I have attempted to transmit my feelings into my work.
I followed the same procedure as in the first ‘Tools of the trade’ bas-relief. I had hoped for a better hand print. The thumb is missing. No matter how I tried I could not position it to make this possible. The shells were quite easy. They required quite some pressure, the same for the boot. Talcum powder certainly helped with release. There was a little bit of plaster seepage from the frame. This was quickly remedied using some clay to plug the leak. After de-moulding I hosed the plaque down and placed it on a radiator to dry. Once dried, I primed the surface using Zinsser 321. Continuing the theme in project 1 of part one, I painted the top coat in a matt red acrylic. It was not easy to source a matt red paint in such a small quantity. In frustration I eventually scoured a DIY store for some match pots. I had learnt a valuable lesson about choice of colour and finish from project 1. My initial choice of a gloss finish led to too much sparkle and not enough depth in my photographic endeavours.
‘Still life’(2019) Material: Plaster. Height 40 cm x Width 30 cm
Still life was my own rather wishy washy attempt at some kind of bas relief version of a vanitas painting. I don’t think I quite pulled it off but I think it could have potential for a future project. I recalled Edwaert Collier’s still life paintings from a previous course. They portrayed the inevitability of death and the transience of earthly pleasures and achievements. Could a clothes peg be classed as an earthly pleasure? The items in each artwork symbolised the fragility of our existence. I had the skull, the food mincer, the wine glass and house keys etc. It lacked a time piece, a candle and a violin. Some of my items might still be viewed as items that symbolise life’s pleasures. I repeated the process of the previous project using the same wood frame. Rather than painting the finished plaque, I opted to pigment the plaster using a green mineral dye. Once the plaster had thoroughly dried, I highlighted the items using a brass paint. I wanted to achieve a corrosive appearance. I was not entirely happy with the result. The paint was too dull and did not contrast well with the green matt finish. I decided to use a copper coloured gilding wax in its place. This finish gave a more pronounced and authentic look.
‘Palette’ (2019) Material: Plaster
For this extra bas relief, I chose a different shape to work to. I wanted to demonstrate my ability to create a free-form shape using a different method and in place of using a rigid wood frame. I adopted a naive art style to create this vibrant artists palette. From the start I placed an image of a palette on my workbench. I could study the image as I worked. I rolled out the clay to the optimum thickness and proceeded to fashion a shape using the edge of a decorating scraper. Once I’d got the desired shape I placed a flexible but stiff plastic strips around the edge of the cut shape.
The strips were cut from A4 sheets using a paper guillotine. This thin perspex was ideal to faithfully follow the shape and would be rigid enough to retain liquid plaster. The length of the contour was greater than the size of the strips of perspex so I had to join three together using sellotape. I used clay on the outside to reinforce these joints and make them liquid tight. Having prepared the flat clay I proceeded to place and impress art related tools and paint tubes into the soft clay. I obtained the miniature artists easel from a cheap shop. All went according to plan and no leaks. Upon completion I released the finished work from the clay. I washed the plaque and dried it out on a radiator. I gave it a coat of Zinsser primer. After some thought I rubbed brown gilding wax onto the unadorned parts. I attempted to create a wood effect using this method. I did not achieve the desired effect. I knew I’d have to cover up this mistake but was not sure if any paint would adhere to the waxed surface. I used a darker acrylic paint with no problem. I painted the rest of the plaque. This proved to be a bit fiddly, especially the long thin brush stems.
In a BBC interview, Elisabeth Frink describes her sculptural technique. ‘Building up in plaster’ it is a method that was initially employed by sculptors Albert Giacometti and Germaine Richier in the 1940’s. Frink began using this method whilst studying at Chelsea School of Art. She was an early pioneer of this approach between 1949-53. She stated in the 1981 interview that ‘rather than working in clay, one builds up in plaster of Paris direct on an armature’ before casting in bronze. She talks of plaster as having immediacy and how it can be built up to a hard finish within minutes. It is an element which can be efficiently carved and modelled. Frink produced traumatic surfaces that are a feature of much of her work including ‘Harbinger Bird 111’ 1961. She used a grater, a mallet and a chisel to achieve her effects prior to casting in bronze.
Frink. E. (1961) Harbinger 111
Germaine Richier: ‘The Bat’ 1946
When making ‘The Bat’ Richier engaged in a new approach. She draped rope fibre in plaster and then cloaked a metallic armature that constituted the substructure of the bat’s wings. The idea for this work appears to have formed following research into bats. Following Richier’s death, many related objects and books were discovered in a cupboard. These may have been the inspiration for much of her work. One can see the resemblance to the human facial features in ‘The Bat’. This was not the first piece to feature this human element. In 1944 she produced her first piece that combined the physical characteristics of insect and human form. ‘Grasshopper, Small Version’ portrays a woman with a small head in a crouching position that conjures up a visually surreal grasshopper on the verge of a jump.
Richier. G. (1946) ‘The Bat’
Henry Moore: ‘Knife Edge Two Piece’ 1962-65
Moore would take an object, perhaps an animal bone and press it into the surface of clay. Plaster would then be poured into the resulting impression to produce a replica of the object. It is probable that Moore produced the maquette for ‘Working Model for Knife Edge Two Piece’ using this method. Once the plaster had hardened, Moore could either enlarge or decrease the form. He could hone and smooth the surface as desired. Moore would go on to utilise the plaster maquette. Measurements would be taken at particular points of the maquette. Moore’s team would then produce a precision armature for a larger version. This possible process of making the armature may have involved wood and chicken wire. Pieces of scrim would have been dipped in plaster and then draped between each of struts on the framework.
“File:Knife edge two piece, College Green, London – DSC08126.JPG” by Green Lane is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Auguste Rodin: Working practice
Rodin sought to distance himself from the rigidity of French artistic institutions and set up his own independent workshop. Rodin saw sculpting as collective effort. He engaged highly skilled plaster casters, founders and carvers along with studio aides. He would start out with drawings. These drawings were the grounding for his plaster mouldings and clay models. Rodin would generally have several casts made from the original works. This process enabled him to try out various ideas or dissect the mouldings for the purposes of experimentation whilst preserving the original. He used his extensive collection of casts to construct new amalgamations and develop contrasting effects. Rodin cherished his plaster works, often gifting them to friends complete with personal inscriptions.
Zucker. S. ‘The Gates of Hell’ (detail) 1880-1917
Bibliography:
BBC (1981) Norman St John Stevas: In Conversation With Elisabeth Frink [online video] Youtube. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXNSsq0cklk [Accessed 7th September 2019]
So I rummaged through my very large box of polystyrene bits and pieces and found what I was looking for. I needed and discovered some sturdy pieces that I could fashion into something that might vaguely resemble my ‘Oxidation’ sculpture’ from Part 2. Project 3. I started out using my saw edged knife. I soon abandoned that knife in favour of long bladed craft knife. Too many loose bits flying everywhere. I stood the original on the work bench so I could study its form as I constructed the new version. Having cut all the required pieces to shape I then glued them into place. I cut about a dozen lengths of jute scrim in readiness. I mixed some some quality Crystacal R plaster in a flexi bucket and dipped half of the scrim into the creamy liquid plaster. I made the mistake of starting the plaster cladding directly on to the base board. I would need to separate the finished project from the board upon completion. I managed to achieve separation once the plaster had semi dried. This time I would place plastic sheeting between each surface.
The jute scrim is quite chunky and seems to have a mind of its own. I struggled at the start and cheated a little. I wanted to retain as much detail as possible and so I used some fine, ready impregnated jute, otherwise known as Mod-Roc. This was used sparingly. It was never going to be an exact copy of the original but I think I achieved a good likeness. I have worked with plaster on many occasions but never in this way. It was a revelation. Taking a flexible material like polystyrene and transforming it into a robust, rigid entity gave me great satisfaction.
It’s not strictly an external piece. With the addition of a liquid polymer, this could be achieved. I thought long and hard about the finish. Should I go way out? perhaps fluorescent pink? leave it white or perhaps some spots as in Kusama’s work. I opted for a dirty clean metallic finish. This is how the original might have appeared before the rust formed on it surface. Using the trusty Zinsser 123 mixed with some grey pigment, I coated the sculpture using a cheap brush. This primer was good enough to use as a base. I grabbed an old rag, dipped it in some Modern Masters acrylic silver paint and began daubing the grey primed surface. I don’t think the photographs show off the finish particularly well and to my mind, the work looks better in the flesh.
‘Julie’ (2019)
I dug deep into my box of polystyrene scraps and pulled out a nice long piece. This would act as the base for ‘Julie’ in plaster. I cut the piece down to 70 cm’s. I stood back and looked at the oblong. I wondered just how I was going to achieve that same shape as the version in clay. Undaunted, I began to shape the polystyrene using my craft knife. The central hole was a bit tricky. The arms should have been wood but I thought I’d set myself a challenge and use polystyrene. This helped me to attain an organic look. I recently read of a sculptor who used welding gloves when working with clay. This helped him to achieve a more rustic finish. I had a few ideas about how I might achieve different textural finishes. I had considered using a comb. This would have been a relatively easy process. One would have to work quickly to produce a well groomed piece. Alternatively, why not throw caution to the wind and take your time. This way, the plaster starts to harden and you could attain a riotously rustic look. The grooves left by the comb would be advantageous. They would hold a background colour well and emphasise the fore. I had also considered encasing ‘Oxidation 2’ in tin foil. Another idea was to uniformly embed objects like small pebbles, broken coloured glass or seashells into the semi set plaster. I could have screeded over remaining gaps perhaps with pigmented plaster using a flexible spreader.
I eventually elected to finish ‘Julie’ in faux aged, oxidised bronze. It just seemed to suit the Moore-like solidity of the piece. This must have been a subconscious decision based on my observed perception of much of his work. Had the piece been filligree in nature like say, that of Richier’s ‘The Bat’, then I might have considered a showy finish like silver or gold.
BA Hons Creative Arts: Starting out in 3D: Sculpture 1 