Giacometti WirePlaster Sculptures
During this unit, Art II students will create an abstract sculpture of a figure in motion that emphasizes the gesture and proportion of a human form in action. These sculptures will illustrate an understanding of the balance of a human in motion, and the importance of the location of the center of gravity. Students will look at the work of Alberto Giacometti and study his influences of literature on his philosophy. This lesson begins with an introduction to Giacometti and his practices, followed by some time with Gesture Drawing, and then finally culminates in a plaster sculpture.
Fine Arts Goals/Objectives:
Students will be able to create an abstract sculpture of a figure in motion that emphasizes the gesture and proportion of a human form in action.
Students will be able to understand the balancing of a human in motion and the importance of the location of the center of gravity.
Students will be able to understand the motivations and inspirations of the artist Alberto Giacometti and the influences of literature on his philosophy.
Students will be able to create a form that uses negative space as an integral part of the overall three-dimensional form.
Students will be able to build a sculpture using a wire armature and plaster dipped cloth to imitate the technique of Giacometti.
Students will be able to understand the relationship of surface treatment and form.
Students will be able to analyze and critique the artwork of professional artists and peers.
Nat’l Core Arts Standards:
VA:Cr1.1.HSII
Individually or collaboratively formulate new creative problems based on student’s existing artwork.
VA:Cr1.2.HSII
Choose from a range of materials and methods of traditional and contemporary artistic practices to plan works of art and design.
VA:Cr2.1.HSII
Through experimentation, practice, and persistence, demonstrate acquisition of skills and knowledge in a chosen art form.
VA:Cr3.1.HSII
Engage in constructive critique with peers, then reflect on, re-engage, revise, and refine works of art and design in response to personal artistic vision.
VA:Pr5.1.HSII
Evaluate, select, and apply methods or processes appropriate to display artwork in a specific place.
VA:Pr6.1.HSII
Make, explain, and justify connections between artists or artwork and social, cultural, and political history.
VA:Re7.1.HSII
Recognize and describe personal aesthetic and empathetic responses to the natural world and constructed environments.
VA:Re8.1.HSII
Identify types of contextual information useful in the process of constructing interpretations of an artwork or collection of works.
ELA Standards:
RI 1. Read/Examine closely to determine what the text/image/score/performance says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific contextual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the piece.
RI 2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text/image/score/performance and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.
RI 4. Interpret words, phrases or elements as they are used in a text/image/score/performance, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word/elemental choices shape meaning or tone.
RI 10. . Read/examine and comprehend complex literary/media and informational texts/images/performances independently and proficiently.
Vocabulary Acquisition:
abstraction - altering or distorting of reality or actual appearance.
armature - the support structure or “bones” of a sculpture
texture- the surface quality of an object, how it feels or looks like it would feel.
movement - the directional quality or action of a subject or elements of a work of art.
positive space - the space an object uses or visually represents
negative space - the space surrounding or outside of an object
form – describes and object in three dimensions, the “skin” or “package” it is in.
Artmaking Materials Needed:
malleable wire (aprox. 3’per student)
wire cutters
tape
plaster
old fabric torn in strips
Contemporary/Historical/Multicultural/Popular exemplars:
Alberto Giacometti