You will be building a bridge using only foam core, and white glue. Your goal is to build a bridge that can bear as much weight as possible. Try to achieve a balance of strength, and beauty, in the design of your bridge. During the final critique, your projects will be strength-tested. Each bridge must hold a minimum of 50 lbs. The student whose bridge can hold the most weight will win a prize.
Specs
Materials- You may only use the foam core provided in class. You may only use white glue (Elmer's glue). You man not use hot glue, epoxy, or tape.
Length and Span- Your bridge must be able to span an 18" (inch) gap. Note: The span is the part of the bridge that is not supported by anything beneath it (like the table, leg, or chair). Keep in mind that there will need to be additional length in order for the ends of the bridge to rest on the table top. Therefore, the bridge has to be longer than 18" (inches).
Width and Height- The bridge must have a minimum height of 8" (inches), and a minimum width of 8" (inches). Lastly, there must be a flat area on the top of the bridge where we can stack bags of clay for the strength test. The bags are approximately 6" (inches) wide.
Rubric
You will be assessed on the strength of your bridge, craftsmanship, and it's aesthetic qualities.
Schedule
Jan 24
You will be given a small sheet of foam core in class. For homework, do an experiment to see what kind of strong structures you can make. Research designs on the internet and come up with DRAW bridge plans that you think would be strong. Bring your experiments and drawings to class on the 31th.
Jan 31
Come to class with white glue and a sharp knife & your drawings and experiments. This will be a studio day.
Feb 14
Final Critique and Bridge Break!
Examples
Below is a video of the critique from two years ago. Pay attention to both the designs of the bridges, and the set-up of the tables. This will help you in designing your bridge appropriately. Note: the pieces of wood screwed to the side of the table extend down 1' (foot). You may have part of your bridge rest against this surface to help distribute stress/weight.
For this project you will work exclusively with materials you collect from nature. The objective is three-fold.
1. Think about material choices. Experiment with the use of readily accessible, natural materials. Define new ways to work with them structurally, and develop a visual language from their use.
2. Observe. Interpret. Respond. Explore the role of the artist as observer/interpreter of culture. (critic, or flaneur).
Process
Step One- Observation
For this exercise, you will consciously begin to think about the world around you, and how you live/exist in it. Look at everything. Your feet when you walk, the trees outside your window. the glass the separates you from those trees. Touch the glass. touch the trees. pay attention. Deep and close, and constant, attention. Do this for the duration of the project.
Step two- Interpretation
Keep a notebook/sketchbook with you and answer the following questions:
What is the nature? How do you envision it? What does it consist of? Describe how it looks?
How do you personally navigate through the natural world? (walking, driving, flying, etc).
How do you interact with it? (planting, cutting, growing, killing, nurturing, using)
What other things in our environment affect your relationship to nature? The built environment? Landscape?
Step three- Respond
Working exclusively with materials you find in the natural world, collect AT LEAST 100 OF THE SAME TYPE OF OBJECT. Examples of materials include: plan frond, driftwood, long grasses, rocks, vines, etc. Continue to think about your observations while you are collecting. Allow your observations to affect your choice of materials. Be choosy, and intentional in your choices. You don't have to understand it all, just be intentional (deliberate).
Experiment with ways of using your materials. How will you attach them? How can they be manipulated? How can they be transformed? What happens when you have a lot of the same object (multiples)?
Try weaving, braiding, sewing, balancing, tying, bending or whatever technique you come up with to make an object out of the separate materials. At home and during the in-class work day you will try different techniques of arranging or joining your objects together to make one unified form.
Step four- Written review/documentation
After the completion of the sculpture, write a two-page essay describing your initial observations, interpretation, and response. Begin with the answers to the questions above, regarding nature. Use your notes as a starting point, and be sure to elaborate. You will be graded on detail. Be sure to use complete sentences; include the question in your answer. Example> "The things that most effect my relationship to nature are…", "I envision nature as a…" Nature consists of…" Site any other sources you referred to in your research. How did you come to these conclusions? Did the artistic process change or reinforce our initial ideas of what nature is? In your final paragraph, give a conclusion/closing that summarizes your feeling about nature- how you exist in it, how our culture effects that, how other things mediate your experience of it. How did this project change/or reinforce your attitudes toward nature?
Note: Additional visual documentation details will be given in a separate assignment at the end of the project. This will be part of the assignment over winter break.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
The size of the sculpture must be at a minimum of 3 feet long in at least one dimension.
Absolutely no glue, wire, string, tape, zip ties, etc. Use only natural materials that you collect.
In the creation of your art object, continue to think about your observations. Your sculpture will be your visual response to your observations.
Schedule
Dec. 6 - Project presented. Observational field trip.
Homework- research, observe, gather, experiment.
Research the artists listed below. Begin your observations/writing. Gather and experiment with your materials (at least 100 of the same natural material)
Dec. 14- Studio work day.
Come prepared with all of your materials, sketches, and experiments you've already done. This will be the only in-class work day. Plan out what tools you may need to use, so you can use the time wisely.
Dec. 20- Final Critique. Jan 10- Written report and documentation due.
