One of the traditional functions of sculpture has to do with giving culture a voice that can continue to speak through the passing ages. Public monuments and artworks become an emblem of a people and a time by expressing communal sentiments, distilling the shared aesthetic, and commemorating important individuals and events. Oftentimes, public sculpture is there to convey very specific content, content deemed somehow important to the community.
Go out into your community and find a work of public sculpture. You might find a piece at the local park, or a nearby government building. Do the work of researching the piece to discover its basic details, such as its title, the name of the sculptor, the year it was created/commissioned, and any other relevant information you can unearth.
What is the subject of the sculpture? How does the sculpture capture and express its purpose, if it has an explicit purpose (for example, a sculpture that aims to commemorate a historical event)? What does the sculpture seem to say about the community and what the community deems important? What does it say about the values of the community socially, aesthetically? Is the sculpture full round? Relief? Be sure and comment on the size of the sculpture and how it interacts with its surroundings.
Take photos of the sculpture and its surroundings, and post these along with your response via text box, file upload or blog post (link).
Posting should be 325 words, minimum. This assignment will be assessed on its formal clarity, the quality of the writing and editing, its degree of engagement with its topic, its creativity/inventiveness/originality of ideas, and the sophistication of thought it expresses.
UPLOAD THE PHOTOS