PROJECT ONE......

Project 1
Throughout art history the cube has been a powerful symbol. It has been the topic of discussion in and out of academia for decades. Within the artistic community the cube has been subject of many essays and has even come to represent the four walls of the gallery itself. For your first assignment you will be engaging with this long historical tradition.
Our first project will be broken down into two compontes, the first will be the crafting of a single 1’x1’x1’ cube. This cube will be made of gauged steel that will be provided for you. This component is meant to challenge your abilities as a crafts person and will lend practical knowledge of the creative process. You will learn how to use the plasma cutter, welder, band saw, disk grinder, and a varity of other hand tools designed for the manipulation and finishing of metal.
This part of the project will be assessed on the accuracy of your craft. (The quality in which your cube is made) i.e. all of your measurements are accurate, the quality and strength of the welds, the finishing of the edges, etc.
The second component to this project is the articulation and alteration of your cube. Part of the job of an artist is to see beyond the object itself to discover the material potentiality. The object before you is the cube. It is your job, and as the second part of this assignment to turn your cube into something more (or less).
i.e. Crushing the cube discussing compression
This component of the project will challenge your creative abilities and will be assessed by your level of risk (not physical) in the work, your creativity, and ability to see beyond the preconceived notions of what an object is or is not. Ultimately, what you do to your cube must and most importantly be able to be discussed in depth as for the reasoning behind your creative decisions.

Things to be considered:
How does this decision challenge the materials nature (i.e. it is made of steel but painted to look like wood)
How does this exploit the materials nature (i.e. your cube turning into a pile of rust)
How does your audience engage with your object (i.e filling the cube with water and it leaks a growing puddle of rusty water flowing out to us, or it hums softly inviting your audience to approach)

Related Artists:
Robert Morris, Richard Serra, Sol LeWit, David Smith
Schedule
Tuesday 8/30 -------Tool Demo
Friday 9/2------------ Work Day (receive materials, cut, and begin fabrication) Sketches for next class
Tuesday 9/6--------- Go over sketches for second component, finish up cube
Friday 9/9 ----------- Begin second component of project
Tuesday 9/12-------- Work Day
Friday 916------------ Project Critique