Each student in the eight grade made a clay maquette,
a small, to-scale model, of a potential large outdoor sculpture.
Max's clay model was choosen for two reasons; because it contained an
emotional element, and two, the design could be translated into
a large sculpture using the rebar and concrete method of building.
The clay maquette:
This clay model took quite
a beating. Its original form
had a head on either side
instead of just the one seen here.
One head was smiling, the
other, had a sad expression.
The face on the character,
was neither happy, nor sad.
The idea was to have the
figure large enough so that
the lap could be sat in.
As a class, we came up with a name for the sculpture. To facilate this
process, we set up a blog on the school site. Here are some of the online
discussions:
Kevin F. said:
The name is important because it desribes the point of the sculpture.
My name for the sculpture is "Conflicting Opposites.
adam g:
My title is "different emotions" because of the two faces.
The title of the sculpture is important because it allows for a
better understanding of the sculpture.
Teddy F. said:
I think that the name should have somthing to do with dicison,
like "chose your attidude torwds life"
Forest H said:
I think we should name it "opposing emotions", because of the
two different faces. It's significant because it reminds us that there
is goods and bads in life, and we have to accept them.
Thomas B said:
I believe the sculpture should be named "Pause" because people
when they see the sculpture should pause, sit down in its
enormous lap, and think. Think of the design and what it stands for.
The man, happy, yet sad, because he is unable to figure out what's
important and what is not. Why is he sitting? Why does he even exist,
why was he put there? Although he is an inamimant object, what is
he thinking? That's why we should name him "pause".
Zoe J. said:
I like Thomas B.'s idea of naming the sculpture Pause. Because the
courtyard is supposed to be a place more peaceful and less stressed
than the school. "Pause" would be a place where you can sit and think
about what is happening around you, sort of getting yourself together.
The building process begins. First we determined how large the
piece would become. Next would be to design the rebar armature.
In order to understand what that would look like, visiting sculptor,
Clara built a maquette of what the armature would look like:
From this, we could make
measurements for all the rebar
needed.
Once the materials were in the
classroom, cutting,bending and
fastening together took place.
Since this sculpture was approximately
8 feet tall and 12 feet wide, we had
to build it in sections and take it out
to the courtyard to do the final
assembling.
Three wood forms were constructed
for the "Lap" and "shoes" to receive
concrete.
Once in its place in the courtyard, we bagan filling the base (the lap) and
the "shoes"(shown in blue in the above photo) with concrete to hold the legs
and torso of the sculpture. (about 960 pounds of concrete was mixed!)
Then came the wire lathe to hold the concrete.
Now comes the fun part of trowelling
the "mud" on!
Here is a view of "Pause"
with its rebar & wire, cement base,
and some of the gray "structural
skin" applied.
The arms have yet to be wired
and the two other heads attached.
Detail of the head.
Students adding more "mud".
Ever present for guidance,
sculptor,Clara Cohan
stands by.
