We had to upload all of this on a PMWiki site, but I don't think you all have access to it, so here's a look at what I did.
Kourtney Stone
Visual Verbal Journey
Logically the place to start talking is with the basic building blocks of my work.
Object-lover.
There is something enchanting about physical matter in space. It has an undeniable reality to our most basic of senses- touch. In my teaching classes we have read studies providing evidence that all human learning begins through touch. Children first understand their world by touch, like the pressure on the crayon creating a mark or the feeling of a flick versus a glide. In my Introduction to Sculpture class, Professor Sarah Dougherty introduced me to the concept of Phenomenology. In it's simplest form, phenomenology can be understood as a philosophy based on the idea that all human experiences is based on the consciousness extending from the first person point of view, the self. The experience is based on what philosopher Husserl called "intentionality", or the direction one brings to the experience (through elements such as emotion, memory, action, and bodily awareness). Further forms of experience include reflection and analysis. So phenomenology deals with the ideas that experience comes from awareness on various levels, which include temporal, attention, self-awareness, embodied action, and other activity. The ideas about one's kinesthetic awareness and experiencing objects in relationship to one's body were particularly resonant with me. This lesson convinced me I was too enraptured by physical things to be a sculpture major. The field of sculpture was too open; too many ideas can be called sculpture. I want objects, matter, volume invading my space.
(Kourtney Stone, Fall 2007. This piece is a response to our study of phenomenology. These are plaster casts of the negative space of the body.)
Material.
My material is primarily clay: water and dirt. If I want it to be permanent I add heat to the process. It is often covered by glass. My decision to use clay is a result of my desire for control. This is a material that will take any form. It will respond immediately to my touch. Creating from clay comes to me much like Chantal Ackerman’s process. Ackerman says;
"I really don't choose; it's coming; it's imposing itself to me and it's what I have to do; i.e., it chooses me! It's a thing that appears to my mind and I don't ask questions about it…if it appears then I have to do! Each of my has its own reality; its own sense of excitement. And, when you don't know (in theory) exactly where you will go with a 'tight' script, then the situation is open to innumerable possibilities and there's an exciting sense of 'danger' in that 'things can fall apart'; "the feeling of 'being on the edge' as one proceeds. The film can go one way or the other, which is very exciting and there is much collaborating with the actor."
Clay chose me. I don’t see the possibilities for my ideas in other materials the way I do with clay. It’s not that I don’t know these other possibilities in materials exist, but that I naturally see the possibilities in clay. Each figure comes to me, and “has its own reality.”
What I Do With It.
(Kourtney Stone, Homegrown, Stoneware, slip, glaze, decal, twine, approx. 8 in. x 9 in., Fall 2008)
Figure sculpture, one could even be as specific as saying the female nude in sculpture, is one of the oldest categories of art. We have common examples of figure sculpture artifacts from the Paleolithic era, like Venus of Willendorf.
(c. 24,000-22,000 BCE, limestone, 4 3/8 inches high, (Naturhistorisches Museum, Vienna))
My research, however, often begins with the classical Greek and Roman sculptures. Like these ancient sculptors, every artist engages in a pursuit of perfection. Greek and Roman artists went so far as to canonize ideal proportions. Today, not every artist seeks perfection in the same way, but every person has a vision of the ideal artwork in their mind which they are trying to achieve. The idea of perfecting the human figure in Greek and Roman sculpture speaks to me in today's culture in terms of standards for women. We hear a lot about how the images of women in pop culture influence us to believe the most beautiful proportions for women are also the most unhealthy for the majority of women. Regardless we are still fed these images relentlessly.
(Aphrodite of Cnidus (Knidos) by Praxiteles (c.350 BC))
Christyl Boger is a contemporary ceramicist who works with figure sculpture. She is likewise influenced by classical sculpture. She references classical sculpture in her work, which makes it feel like a familiar form to her audience, much like a figurine. It also contextualizes her art work as iconic. Boger uses sculpted objects and deliberate surface treatments, such as decals, placement of glaze and lusters, to bring her work into the present and speak of current ideas.
(Girl With Dolphin, porcelain, glaze, luster, 27 in. x 22 in. x 22 in., 2007)
For example, in Girl with Dolphin Boger presents a commentary on the concept of 'ideal beauty' and relationships using the Greek goddess of love. The appearance of porcelain suggests monetary value, and, as is characteristic of Boger’s work, pushes it into the realm of figurines. These notions allow the viewer to objectify the figure. The figure is surrounded by things from the sea, like the dolphin and the shell. These items, particularly the dolphin, are closely associated with Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of beauty, love, and lust. According to some Greek myths, dolphins were sacred creatures to Aphrodite. The depiction of the dolphin as an inflatable form, makes the goddess seem cheap and tacky. Boger says her use of gold tipped fingers and toes implies “both a Midas’ touch and a courtesan’s proposition .” The figure’s posture wavers between a concealing gesture of modesty or open self-display.
The monotone figure sculpture with judicious use of color is reminiscent of Anne Wenzel's ceramics. Wenzel's 2003 series of ceramic girls (examples below) uses exclusively terra sigillatta and luster. Terra sigillata is a surface technique where the artist burnishes and buffs a slip made of very fine clay particles, which give the surface a moist looking appearance. This process can be time-consuming and often requires several layers. Wenzel, however, applies multiple thick layers, making the terra sigillata crack and peel off. Terra sigillata always seemd to be a rather intimate process, requiring the artist to be close and delicate with the work almost like caressing it. Seeing the layers of it peel off the surface of Wenzel's figures felt like Wenzel overdid her caress, much like rubbing one's skin too much creates a rub burn. It adds to the somewhat grotesque feeling of these beautiful girls, figurines, with dark forms wrapping around them.
Material is often metaphor in my work. The matter of which an object is made can be a powerful vehicle to change the meaning of an object or to give the object a certain status. For example, the twine in my figure above references utilitarian function. In connection with the checkerboard pattern, I hoped it would evoke thoughts about country settings and rural communities. Many ceramicists use porcelain as Christyl Boger did to give objects certain value, particularly within historical contexts (porcelain is a highly valued material; it was reserved for royalty, traded across continents, and many ceramicists tried to imitate it).
(unknown artist/origin, but the meaning/function of soda cans changes when made out of porcelain, then decorated after traditional china pottery designs)
Iris Eichenberg uses material to give her somewhat abstract sculptures specific meaning. In the work below entitled Family, there are branches coming from the wall with several knit forms hanging from them. The branch allows us to think of several ideas. The branch, which is actually a tree branch suggests something from nature. The objects hanging from it are natural, like blossoms or fruit. It also suggests life. The title implies this may represent a family heritage or hierarchy. However, I incessantly approach art and the world using feminist theory, so I take it further. The objects hanging from it are ovular shapes, knit from pink fiber, connected by a string that hangs them from the branch. Traditionally textiles are considered a "feminine" art. These forms have a domestic feel to them, like mittens on a string. These shapes also are reminiscent of female reproductive organs. This sculpture, because of the materials, speaks to the social view of Woman's reproductive role.
For me, this all relates back to phenomenology and the gaze. How does one respond to this little person is his or her space? Is it a figurine or a person? If each object has "its own reality" how does it feel to be looking in on that reality? What if this little figurine is staring right back at you? What if it's not, are you invading its space? The figure posted above is pondering this twine lacing her legs together. Her size is that of a figurine, but is her reality congruent?
The female nude, as demonstrated with the brief history given above, is a universally recognizable image. Body language is a universal vehicle for communication of ideas, unlike speech or writing. In relation to the kinesthetic awarenesses in a phenomenological-based experience, the gesture of the human body becomes another element the audience can feel, relate to, and ponder.
My current body of work is using half life-sized figures illustrating contemporary examples of Jean-Paul Sartre's theory of "bad faith." Sartre was de Beauvior's companion and she often borrows his theories for use in her own writings, including bad faith.
Possibilities.
What am I trying to do with the figure? What is it about the figure? Gesture. When it comes down to it, I use the figure because of the communicative value of gesture and body language. I tend to get caught up in the historical and personal association and expectations of the human body when working with the figure. It's inescapable for me but more importantly the audience. The human form, specifically the female figure, is a natural vehicle of expression for my thoughts. I have an idea and it comes out as a gesture. Adrian Arleo gave language to my thoughts:
"My overall conceptual concern, in creating pieces that deal with the figure, does not stem from a fascination with the construction and problem-solving process. Nor is it just the beauty of the human form that holds me. What continues to absorb me is how, by rendering the physical body, one can convey, or at least suggest, a remarkable array of non-physical, internal, ephemeral, spiritual, emotional or psychological experiences. I use the human form to get at the human being and human nature, not at the body as an end in itself."
The next step is isolating the gesture.
I recently began a body of work that is meant to do so and it is dealing with the vessel. I am taking advantage of the connotations of the vessel as a container, and vessel as body. I take cast vessels and alter them into abstracted poses.
(Stephanie Lanter Double Bib)
(Stephanie Lanter Big Nuk)
I have been looking at Stephanie Lanter's work, and I am also incorporating fibers elements into the gestures. The fibers help to conceal, reveal, and emphasize form. These pieces are also no more than 10 inches tall. The scale in combination with the fibers propel my work into the domestic/figurine realm. I don't yet understand how these pieces are functioning or even how I necessarily relate to them.
My next thoughts tend to be about increasing the scale, because with my figure sculptures I have pushed them out of the figurine scale. The small scale my vessels/gestures are in now makes them feel like figurines again.
Another possibility may include incorporating the fibers from the start directly into my ceramics by firing slip-soaked fibers onto my greenware.
Sources.
source –noun 1. any thing or place from which something comes, arises, or is obtained; origin: Which foods are sources of calcium? 2. the beginning or place of origin of a stream or river. 3. a book, statement, person, etc., supplying information. 4. the person or business making interest or dividend payments. 5. a manufacturer or supplier. 6. Archaic. a natural spring or fountain.
re⋅source –noun 1. a source of supply, support, or aid, esp. one that can be readily drawn upon when needed. 2. resources, the collective wealth of a country or its means of producing wealth 3. Usually, resources. money, or any property that can be converted into money; assets. 4. Often, resources. an available means afforded by the mind or one's personal capabilities: to have resource against loneliness. 5. an action or measure to which one may have recourse in an emergency; expedient. 6. capability in dealing with a situation or in meeting difficulties: a woman of resource. In describing my collection of images and ideas which inform my work it is more accurate to say resources instead of sources. Resources, or re-sources, implies a place of supply to which one returns. My sources are not necessarily one time use only. Like a glaze, I have a base recipe of images and ideas that constantly influence my work. The colorants are various images and research I find that relate to my current body of work. My base resources include figurative work from other artists, feminism, and autobiographical material. All of these sources have culminated in my current body of work as two components.
(Definitions from dictionary.com)
Each component deals with the figure. These figures each have their own idea, but essentially all are about gesture. I use the figure for the communicative qualities of gesture and universality of body language. In relation to the kinesthetic awarenesses in a phenomenological-based experience, the movement becomes another element the audience can feel, relate to, and ponder. The gestures of the figure are symbolic, which creates a separate reality around them.
The first component is a series of female figures, approximately half life-size or 36” tall. These figures are directly influenced by Crystal Boger, as previously mentioned. I watch her use of gesture and the naturalistic forms of her figures. Also, she recontextualizes contemporary issues with classical forms, which is a favorite exercise of mine. She does this by combining her poses and surfaces, which reference traditional ceramic treatments with a modern design.
My current figures are about women putting up the proverbial glass ceilings for themselves. For example, a church a used to attend hired a female pastor. Women of the church were disapproving of female pastor saying things along the lines of, “It’s just weird to have a woman up there.” Another example is when Hillary Clinton ran for president and women classified her as masculine. What sort of message must this be sending to our daughters about women in power? These seemingly slight comments actually have tremendous psychological implications about the roles of women in our “progressive” society.
Alberto Giacometti
Alberto Giacometti
Alberto Giacometti
These figures from Alberto Giacometti are from around 1926 when he was still an art student studying in France. These drawings have captivated me for years. The forms of the body are broken down into planes and lines, but they still remain spatial. I’ve attempted to translate that sort of decomposition into my ceramics figures, but with no success. I haven’t figured out why Giacometti drew like that nor have I understood a way to use it outside of my own drawing.
Empowerment
I approach art and life from a feminist point of view. I study feminist theory and writing, and I use think knowledge to inform the art I make. The female body is a natural vehicle of expression for myself. My thoughts naturally physically manifest themselves as the gestures of females. I study to be a teacher because I believe knowledge is empowerment. I think I use the female body for the same reason. By giving the female body a voice I am giving it power.
Simone de Beauvior & Jean-Paul Sartre \\ My studies in feminism often lead to a reflection on my own experiences which then turns into art. Sometimes my work is funny, autobiographical, if I do it right, poignant. It’s most important that it be empowering. I am largely concerned with the way women view themselves.
My studies of Simone de Beauvior lead me to her companion Jean Paul Sarte. According to Sartre, there are three states of being. The being-in-itself is associated with the body, the physical being. The being-for-itself is the being that does not have physical existence, but it perceives the sensations of the being-in-itself. The final state is the being-for-others, which defines itself as a subject, and objectifies the other. This is an attempt to regain itself as a being when in conflict with the desires of another. The being defines itself by asserting its power over another. It views the other as enslaved and the self as free. This othering allows the being for-itself to allow or reject the meaning it or other ascribe to it. This fluid identity or non-self identity is the fundamental freedom humans have. Having freedom means decisions made are inherently intentional. This idea ties directly into Sartre’s ethical position of authenticity. The idea is that one is not identical or defined by one’s state, but one is still responsible for sustaining whatever state in which he or she may be. Directly from this idea comes the concept of bad faith. Bad faith is essentially self-deception about one’s state. It is lying to oneself about the non-self coincidence and the responsibility one has for choosing to leave it that way.
Autobiographical: My Family
Another main resource is my autobiography. My work is generally based on experience. So by default it is affected by my family and my upbringing, like in Homegrown.
The second component of my current body of work is a series of altered vessels. They are directly influenced by Butterly and Lanter, who was already mentioned. They are about 8 inches high are approximately 8 inches tall. The sources for these vessels/figures are autobiographical and other artists.
Caught Thinking, Kathy Butterly
Yo, Kathy Butterly
Mask, Kathy Butterly
Kathy Butterly was highly influential as far as the method goes. She works with altered cast forms also, and she encouraged me to start by just copying an artist I admire. It certainly gave me a start, but I am not sure how closely I want to follow in her footsteps.
Stephanie Lanter, who was previously mentioned, is my visual source for the integration of fibers with ceramics. She’s made the fibers an essential part of the clay, and uses the fibers to complement the form.
Iris Eichenberg was also previously mentioned and has been highly influential on this body of work. Her use of different material and forms to reference the bodies creates a sort of aura around her pieces, which is certainly a desirable effect for me.
Brother and Sister, Louise Bourgeois
Femme Volage, Louise Bourgeois
Louise Bourgeios is a classic influence. She mastered the use of abstract for to reference the body and convey emotion and ideas. She also uses a variety of materials to best suit her idea. I am mostly intrigued by her forms, however.
The Fire, Ed Eberle
Gathering, Ed Eberle
Ed Eberle is a source for the use of gesture. He uses abstract ceramic pieces to create a very readable and realistic gesture.
All of these artists are reactionary. Their art has a definite urgency to it. They create their art in the moment, but it’s deliberate. This idea of reaction was an easy way for me to generate forms and gestures. Because of this, the subject matter of these is also autobiographical, including ideas such as mediocrity, diversity, illness, and panic attacks.
