Project 14: Sound Suit. Due May 20th

2015 Crandon Beach

Project Description

Get to know sculptor Nick Cave from Chicago, and his Soundsuit series.  For this project, make a wearable sculpture that covers your whole body. Look at the artist Nick Cave's Soundsuits for inspiration, but make the idea your own. Try to incorporate sound into your project. We will have a parade for the critique, so make sure you can see. 

For this project you may use all of the skills and materials you learned about this far: cardboard, sewing, natural materials, found objects, and assemblage.

This is a big project. It will count for 3 full grades:
May 13- Homework/preparation
May 20- Sculpture and Choreography critique 

May 27- Video made at Crandon Park

Schedule

Homework May 13th: Look at lots of pictures, videos, and articles about Nick Cave's Soundsuits. Get to know them really well. Make sketches for your wearable sculpture, and bring materials that you want to work with to class. You should bring A LOT of materials to class.

May 13: Sound Suit Studio Day. Homework Due

Homework grade will be given for:

1. Two pages of detailed sketches/ideas, including sample color scheme and texture/sound/material choices.
2. Materials to work in class. 
3. Basic Structure (armature) of suit has been begun and brought to class. 

Homework Rubric

A = all of the above done fully and well underway with structure of suit
B = all of the above done, and structure of suit begun
C = missing one of the above components of homework assignment
D = missing two of the above components of homework assignment
F  = Unprepared


May 20: Sound Suit Critique

Sound Suit and choreography due at beginning of class. Presented in class for critique.

Critique Rubric

A = excellent craftsmanship, highly creative, interesting sounds created by suit, complete transformation (and coverage) of body from head to toe. Highly thoughtful and interesting movement/choreography. 

B = good craftsmanship (nothing falls off/breaks), good creativity, interesting sounds created by suit, good transformation (and coverage) of body from head to toe. Intentional and interesting movement/choreography. 

C = Project suffers from ANY of the following: craft issues (some things fall off/break), not very creative in choice of materials or their manipulation, sound element not considered, not enough transformation of body, suit does not cover entire body. Movement/choreography not well thought out or intentional. 

D = Project suffers from more than one of the issues mentioned in the C category. 

F = Did not do.

May 27: Sound Suit Video/Performances at Crandon Park for Beach Field Trip.

You will bring your sound suit to the beach field trip to do a performance and create a video. The video must include the following:

1. Title frame including the names of performers, title of piece and date.
2. 1 - 3 minutes duration. 
3. Intentional beginning (how will you come into the frame?)
4. Intentional choreography (what will happen in the video?)
5. Intentional ending (how will the video end?)
6. Uploaded to Vimeo, Youtube, Tumblr or your personal artist website.

Video Rubric

A = Excellent craftsmanship, highly creative, and well edited video. Excellent image quality and framing. Included all above video requirements. Highly thoughtful and interesting movement/choreography. Uploaded to internet.

B =  Good craftsmanship, creative, and well edited video. Good image quality and framing. Included all above video requirements. Thoughtful and interesting movement/choreography. Uploaded to internet.

C = Project suffers from ANY of the following: craft issues (editing, does not include all video requirements), framing issues (horizon not straight, camera moves around in unintentional way, distracting elements in video, sound element not showcased. Movement/choreography not well thought out or intentional. 

D = Project suffers from more than one of the issues mentioned in the C category. 

F = Did not do.

Research

Other References

These can be good to look at for aesthetic inspiration, materials that produce sound, and also movement/choreography. These come from a wide variety of sources including: performance art, dance, theatre,and indiginous/tribal cultures   

Note: Some of these are decorated dresses/outfits. Your project should not look like a dress, or outfit. It should transform the form (outline) of your body. 

Student Examples 

Here are some examples of wearable sculptures from the previous three years. These will give you ideas, but should not be copied. Originality is a large component of creativity. Note: Many of these do not cover the whole body, or fully transform the form (shape/outline/profile) of the artists' bodies. Your soundsuit needs to completely transform your profile/form. 

Below is a video of the sound suits from the class of 2016. Note that they did not have the same requirements as you. Yours will be much more comprehensive and your choreography will be intentional.