Page 20 - 2018-2019_Spotlight

SCHOOL ENERGY AND RECYCLING TEAM

Collaborative Sculptures Made From Upcycled Everyday Objects

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

I looked at these piles and then at a expertise. However, in working with non-
box of clips that I had amassed earlier traditional materials, the art making process
in the week after cutting them from became less intimidating and the creative
old legal size clipboards to use for clay collaboration between students really took
storage. These discarded items could precedence. The work of “creating” became
be the inspiration and basis of a enjoyable learning.
collaborative sculpture assignment for
As we worked toward completion of the
my eighth graders. The concept of
sculptures we discussed ways to display the
using these “everyday” materials
work and potential needs from the exhibition
would provide an exercise in how to
location – good lighting, a place to look from
use shape and form to create
different angles, safety, etc. It was exciting to
movement through repetition. It
see students take ownership of the curatorial
would give them an opportunity to
process, one of many new Fine Arts standards.
experiment, reuse and repurpose
As one group worked to hang their sculpture
these “disposable items” with
at a very high height, allowing a worm’s eye
purpose. Simultaneously heightening
perspective, others considered possible stands or ways to unify the pieces as
their awareness of aesthetic concepts
a group. A team of students volunteered to work at lunch to design pedestals.
of positive and negative space while
They cut and tied muslin around a dozen classroom stools creating a unified
also creating meaning with and
display on the front of our school’s stage located in the cafeteria.
through simple, found objects. My
head spun with the names of artists An appropriate “everyday” location
who have worked in assemblage and where students at lunch could
crafted original works of art from what approach sculptures and observe
other may have neglected or disposed. more carefully. As a group of
I thought of Tara Donovan, Louise students carried studio lights to the
Nevelson, Robert Rauschenberg, stage, students began pouring in for
Bettye Saar, James Hampton, and so eighth grade lunch. As the student
many others. artists adjusted the lighting and
positioning of the sculptures, other
As in many first-time curriculum units,
students gathered around and
there were some unplanned
immediately began commenting
challenges and happy accidents. Many
“wow, that’s cool!” Our visually-
students in this level three class hadn’t
adept security guard chimed in, too. The few student artists there at the
taken the first two levels of art classes
moment smiled with authentic pride and feelings of accomplishment, which
or had opportunities to cull their visual
were shared with artist peers the next day in class.
skills or gain technical fine art
Ultimately, the sculptures were not intended as a comment
on materialism or consumer culture, or even recycling.
However, in the end, we all gained an appreciation for how
valuable our resources can be, especially when what is
disposable is seen as a potential ingredient for art,
imagination and meaningful learning.

20 DECEMBER 2018