Art at the Library: Sculpture

As promised here is the final piece in the four part series Art at Your Library. Previous topics have included drawing, watercolor, and oil painting. This final feature will focus on sculpture.

Sculpture is one of the earliest surviving art forms due its material. Stone is durable. One of the earliest surviving sculptures is the so-called “Venus of Willendorf” she is believed to have been sculpted between 24,000 BC and 22,000 BC. It is assumed that this female figure represents some type of fertility totem, but since the pre historical society who created her left no written records, much of her function is a mystery.

Sculpture by the editors of Newsweek http://alpha2.suffolk.lib.ny.us/record=b1185233~S50 offers a nice basic overview of history of sculpture, from its earliest beginnings through the Egyptians, Greeks, and Roman. Each culture created its own unique sculptural vocabulary from the Egyptian pyramids and sphinxes, to Greek hollow cast bronze masterworks, to Roman works which accurately depicted their subject “warts and all”. Sculpture did not disappear during the Middle Ages, but classical style fell from favor and was considered to be “pagan”. It wasn’t until the Renaissance that sculpture would become popular once again. Michelangelo, one of the famous sculptors of the Renaissance, said he saw his works as figures imprisoned in stone. As time progressed sculpture became less about art and became more functional. Famous and well known individuals were immortalized in massive stone statues that were meant to stand the test of time.

Sculpture, unlike other art forms, is not confined to a strictly regulated environment . Sculptures can stand out of doors to act as a tribute, memorial, or simply for decoration. New York City is full of public sculpture and monuments that can easily be seen on buildings or in public parks. Monuments and Masterpieces by Donald Martin Reynolds http://alpha2.suffolk.lib.ny.us/record=b1548460~S50 offers an in depth view of public sculpture in New York City.

Like painting, sculpture transcended representation and moved into a new realm of abstraction in the middle of the twentieth century. Sculptor Louise Nevelson transformed seemingly ordinary bits of wood (found object in her earlier works) into grand and epic sculptures with all their disparate elements united by a monochromatic color palette. To learn more about the sculptress and her monolithic masterpieces read The Sculpture of Louise Nevelson edited by Brooke Kamin Rappaport http://alpha2.suffolk.lib.ny.us/record=b3940163~S50

Creating sculpture is labor intensive. Unlike painting or drawing which can be done anywhere with decent lighting, sculpture requires space and large amounts of equipment. For those who wish to take up sculpture, polymer clay is a far more manageable medium. Get Creative with Polymer Clay by Emma Ralph http://alpha2.suffolk.lib.ny.us/record=b3834061~S50 offers a nice introduction exploring supplies needed, basic techniques, and a host of projects starting from easy to advanced. While the projects in Judy Belcher’s Polymer Clay: Creative Traditions http://alpha2.suffolk.lib.ny.us/record=b3764774~S50 are meant for those with experience. The projects illustrate the incredible range of the medium. Clay is transformed from blocks into incredible jewelry and sculptures. The book is worth checking out just for the gorgeous images alone!

As always, if you need help locating any of the above items please stop by the Reference Desk and a librarian will be happy to help.