Daniel Gordon Baird

This course is an introduction to the materials, methods, and concepts of sculpture. We will investigate making in relation to material, time and space. We will consider aspects of sculpture such as meaning, scale, process, social engagement, ephemera and site; and explore the formal properties and expressive potential of materials including mold making and casting, wood, metal and experimental media. We will combine the use of materials and methods with ideas that reflect the history of contemporary sculpture. Demonstrations and authorizations will provide students with experience and technical proficiency in sculptural production while readings and slide lectures venture into the critical discourses of sculpture.

This course provides students with a semester-long concentration on a sculptural project of their own choosing. Students are encouraged to focus on a cohesive body of work that shares a material or conceptual framework. Multiple individual critiques will enhance their ability to identify, develop and clearly express their artistic intentions. Image and video presentations will expand students' familiarity with a range of sculpture practices. Individual research methodologies are emphasized and structured to take advantage of the institution's resources. Class discussion of contemporary sculpture and theory will underscore students? understanding of the social production of meaning and help them to contextualize their work.