Project Principle: Monuments and spaces humans have created hold much significance to cultures. In this fast-paced world of the 20th and 21st centuries, we sometimes take them for granted. What would happen if they either disappeared or were massively altered? Would we recognize them more as important? What would it take to create such a daring display? Why, an artist of course! The duo of artists doing just such work is Christo Vladimirov Javacheff and Jeanne-Claude Marie Denat, known simply as Christo and Jeanne-Claude. Their work has spanned decades covering monuments and areas of great cultural importance. The risks they take are highly calculated and performed with utter precision. We will investigate in this project what it means to take a calculated artistic risk.
Discussion Questions: What is the initial risk that an artist makes when working on a project? What is needed to accomplish monumental artworks? How are patience and art closely knit? When is it okay to take a calculated risk? What calculated risks have you taken? Where have these risks led you? Do you take these risks with your art?
Activity 1: The instructor will lead a discussion on the American Installation artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude. You will look at the artists' website http://www.christojeanneclaude.net/ on laptops using the laptop lab cart in class. During your tour through the works of these artists, please stop at the following works: The Wall - Wrapped Roman Wall and The Gates. State in discussion your opinions of the works and why you have those opinions.
Activity 2: What monument or place has great significance to you? How would you alter it to bring attention to it? In the same method that Christo and Jeanne-Claude used with their preliminary sketches and proposals, show how you would accomplish such a feat (use your sketchbook to catalog your ideas).
Activity 3: The covering or altering of monuments is one way to recognize the worth of the objects we create in a culture. What are some other ways you can think of that would create a recognition of places in your culture and highlight the significance of such a place? Think of The Gates as a model. With that in mind, sketch in your sketchbook what you would like to do. Next, using Trimble Sketchup devise a three dimensional model of your idea and place it using Google maps in the location of your choice. Upload your picture to the Discussion Blog (Button at the Top of this page) along with a brief description. Print out the final picture. We will display all of the pieces together as one joint project in the school with the web address so people can take a closer look at your work and read your explanations. Rubric for 3 Dimensional Models
Bridge Activity: In the Discussion Blog (see button below), comment on the following questions: How do we interact/react to our environment? As artists how can we highlight and expand our audience's perception of the world around them?
Discussion Questions: What is the initial risk that an artist makes when working on a project? What is needed to accomplish monumental artworks? How are patience and art closely knit? When is it okay to take a calculated risk? What calculated risks have you taken? Where have these risks led you? Do you take these risks with your art?
Activity 1: The instructor will lead a discussion on the American Installation artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude. You will look at the artists' website http://www.christojeanneclaude.net/ on laptops using the laptop lab cart in class. During your tour through the works of these artists, please stop at the following works: The Wall - Wrapped Roman Wall and The Gates. State in discussion your opinions of the works and why you have those opinions.
Activity 2: What monument or place has great significance to you? How would you alter it to bring attention to it? In the same method that Christo and Jeanne-Claude used with their preliminary sketches and proposals, show how you would accomplish such a feat (use your sketchbook to catalog your ideas).
Activity 3: The covering or altering of monuments is one way to recognize the worth of the objects we create in a culture. What are some other ways you can think of that would create a recognition of places in your culture and highlight the significance of such a place? Think of The Gates as a model. With that in mind, sketch in your sketchbook what you would like to do. Next, using Trimble Sketchup devise a three dimensional model of your idea and place it using Google maps in the location of your choice. Upload your picture to the Discussion Blog (Button at the Top of this page) along with a brief description. Print out the final picture. We will display all of the pieces together as one joint project in the school with the web address so people can take a closer look at your work and read your explanations. Rubric for 3 Dimensional Models
Bridge Activity: In the Discussion Blog (see button below), comment on the following questions: How do we interact/react to our environment? As artists how can we highlight and expand our audience's perception of the world around them?