Stephani Stephenson on thu 18 aug 05
This topic of the cadaver exhibit brought to mind a book I saw years
ago when I took some figurative sculpture classes from Paul Buckner at
the Unversity of Oregon
The book had large full color plates of human wax models, made in
Italy... Nerves, muscles, everything, in colored waxes... so realistic,
it astounded me really, that they were waxes. there was a high degree
of craft and skill on making them. also some of the photos were even
lovely, with the pigmented waxes of nerve, veins flowing over and
through surfaces of muscle, etc....
I understood that such models were used to teach medical students
about anatomy.
I did find the book photographs fascinating in that regard.The clarity
with which the muscles, nerves, organs of the body were portrayed...
extremely helpful to a student of figurative sculpture.... in fact the
standard course in figurative sculpture is to work an entire session,
sometimes a year on meticulously reconstructing a figure in plastiline
by first making every bone, then layering on muscles, and finally skin.
the idea is that you cannot possible portray the figure unless you
understand it's 'underpinnings' its internal structure.
Once you learn the basics...really learn the basics, then and only
then you move on tho possibly more expressive sculptural
compositions... this is a very traditional approach.
Starting perhaps with science, then moving through development of
skill, from skill to development then mastery of craft, then finally
one perhaps addresses issues of creativity, art, expression, etc....
I knew a forensic anthropologist in Missoula who had worked on
reconstructing how early humans or primates looked , based on
skeletons.. and reconstructed them with clay and his knowledgeof
anatomy....I think he would have considered this a combination of
science and skill or craft....
I rarely spend time separating or dividing these words "art/craft"
and have no problem throwing "creativity/skill/science" into the batch,
if it helps me convey what I am seeing or experiencing.. I wish there
were more words for these things.. more accurate words as well as more
encompassing words that might express better the endless variations,
the interplay describing what we do, what we make, and how we
arrive at it...
I find the vocabulary lacking, yet still we grapple with words to
describe these things...
some of us stake out our territory , plant our flags with these words.
Sometimes the categories are clear and fitting, other times not
The sites below provide an overview of the history of Italian
anatomical wax modeling.
What is interesting is how many times the terms art science, and
skill are used the text..
Also interesting is there is no single discipline, no single
profession, which applies here.... for example , highly skilled
sculptors worked alongside anatomists to complete these models.
anyway, this may hold no interest to some of you... however, if you
would like to read about the history and without viewing graphic
images, these sights are informative and visually benign. I'm sure
further searches will turn up examples of the work.
"Clemente Susini's
wax anatomical models at the University of Cagliari"
history of wax anatomical modeling:
http://medicina.unica.it/cere/mono02_en.htm
link to history and description of the wax modeling process:
http://medicina.unica.it/cere/monogr_en.htm
just another angle....
Stephani Stephenson
steph@revivaltileworks.com
http://www.revivaltileworks.com
Stephani Stephenson on fri 19 aug 05
I wrote , with regard to traditional study of figurative sculpture....
"Starting perhaps with science, then moving through development of
skill, from skill to development then mastery of craft, then finally
one perhaps addresses issues of creativity, art, expression, etc...."
In retrospect, no it doesn't start with science...I think it it starts
with observation
and development of skills of observation, ... perception , as important
as any skill
involving manipulation of the clay in this particular area of study and
work
science of anatomy is incorporated as you begin to identify and
understand what you are seeing, etc...
what I found interesting as I watched the sculpture students and the
ceramics students work in close proximity at UO was that the advanced
figurative sculpture students sometimes had difficulty bringing their
figures to life, as they were so locked in to the anatomical model
after such intensive study... accuracy the primary quality of the 3D
depiction. finding their own 'voice ' with the material was sometimes
tentative, difficult.... yet the ones who did had such an excellent
skill base to work from. Also though, when they moved to ceramics, to
work with ceramic sculpture as a finished medium, they had to learn a
whole new set of skills, i.e. in traditional sculpture classes clay
is treated primarily as a modeling medium ... firing, glazing, etc,
usually not part of the discipline..learning how to work with it so it
can be successfully dried, fired , etc was sometimes frustrating for
the sculpture students
. if anything, metals, especially cast metals are often promoted as the
'next step' in the sculpture studios. Of course the lovely medium of
ceramic beckons to many, and has throughout the centuries.
If the sculpture students encountered hurdles in the above areas, the
ceramics students who were doing figurative work often fell short,
IMHO, because they were ALL about expression, with so little
understanding of the human body and of clay working skills, that the
intended expressive quality failed due to a lack of craft, engineering
, form, structure, etc....
of course the celebration and appreciation occurs when someone from
either background 'crosses over'
A formally trained figurative sculptor manages to find a way to infuse
the work with life, spirit, that something we might call art because it
moves us, allows us to discover something....put your own definition in
here
or when the potter, handbuilder, ceramist finds a way to depict,
convey, express something about the human body, spirit, person... which
is furthered , made eloquent by their skill, abilities to work the
clay.
off to the big city today
Stephani Stephenson
steph@revivaltileworks.com
http://www.revivaltileworks.com
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