Chapter 9: Physical and Cerebral Internet Exercises

Contemporary sculpture is constructed from a wide range of materials. The physical presence of the work commands us to consider its form and meaning. Visit the British Contemporary Sculpture|Sculpture at Goodwood site (http://www.sculpture.org.uk/), and go to current work and start the tour of current work. As you view the sculptures, consider the following:

a) Find a sculpture that appears to defy gravity. How does the denial of gravity affect the interpretation of the piece? Find another sculpture that seems to be weighted down immensely by gravity. Compare and contrast the different sculptures.

b) The sculptures at Goodwood are situated outdoors. Find a sculpture that enhances its surroundings by establishing a physical and psychological connection to its surroundings. Find another sculpture that appears to be out of place in its surroundings. Find a third sculpture that, although it is in stark contrast to its environment, it gives new meaning to the place in which it is placed. How does the material, form, size, and orientation help to establish these three sculptures' relationship to their surroundings?

c) The Goodwood sculpture garden has a wide variety of sculptures. Find a representational sculpture. Find an example of a nonobjective sculpture. What ideas do you think the artist was trying to convey with each of these two works of art?

d) Boundary often plays an important role in sculpture. Find a sculpture that uses its boundary to physically or psychologically make a connection to something. Find a sculpture that uses boundary to separate. Compare and contrast these two sculptures. Explain how the boundary is used in each sculpture.