Masking Tape Sculptures

Fourth Grade Figure Sculptures

Inspired by the work of Surrealist Artist, Alberto Giacometti

 

Fourth graders learned about the Surrealist art movement and Swiss artist Alberto Giacometti (1901-1966).  Surrealism was a literary and art movement that began around 1920.  It was heavily influenced by the events of World War One and the work of psychiatrist Sigmund Freud.  Surrealism was meant to express the artist’s imagination from dreams and the subconscious. Surrealist works feature the element of surprise. They often include images of things that we know do not exist in real life, or they show situations that could not possibly happen.  They are often odd, illogical, irrational, disturbing or exciting.

Giacometti’s sculptures of human forms were elongated and had a cast shadowlike quality to them.  In 2010, one of Giacometti’s life size bronze sculpture of a man sold at auction for $104,000,000- that’s ONE HUDRED FOUR MILLION DOLLARS!

Fourth graders worked with wire to create their armatures (sculpture frames) and then wrapped them with newspaper strips and masking tape.  Finally figures were posed, painted with metallic paints, and mounted in position.

 MA Curriculum Frameworks- 1.1 Use a variety of materials and media , and understand how to use them to produce different visual effects 1.2 Create artwork in a variety of two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) media, 1.3 Learn and use appropriate vocabulary related to methods, materials, and techniques 1.4 Learn to take care of materials and tools and to use them safely 5.2 Classify artworks into general categories, such as painting, printmaking, collage, sculpture, pottery, textiles, architecture, photography, and film 5.3 Describe similarities and differences in works, and present personal responses to the subject matter, materials, techniques, and use of design elements in artworks 3.10 Create 2D and 3D images that are original, convey a distinct point of view, and communicate ideas 2.4 For shape and form, explore the use of shapes and forms in 2D and 3D works.