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NCEA Level 3 - Visual Arts 2009

Examples of Candidate Work – 90670 Sculpture

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Achieved

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AchievedThis submission uses a range of three-dimensional, photographic and digital drawing processes to explore notions of distortion of form through stretching, reflecting, folding and repetition. The physical representation of distortion has been well described in the three-dimensional drawing experiments. This candidate would have benefitted from greater analysis in refining the ideas within the body of work.

The use of fragmented reflective surfaces has been explored physically but not practically, in maquette form. For example, card has been used to suggest the structure of a work without the critical reflective quality central to the proposition. Although there is evidence of direct links to established practice in this work, there is a lack of understanding of how this might inform decisions towards processes, procedures, materials and techniques that have been used. The placement of the Artist model images directly on the portfolio also demonstrates a lack of understanding towards the established practice the candidate has been investigating.

In order for this candidate to achieve with Merit, they would have needed to demonstrate evidence of purposeful drawing as a thinking process to provide options in the generation, clarification, analysis and regeneration of ideas. They would also have needed to show a systematic approach to relating and evaluating ideas and methods in the production of work.

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Achieved

This submission works playfully through a conceptual framework that uses performance to inform fabricated object and installation. The candidate has used materials in the tradition of a range of sculptural processes. The decisions made to develop ideas however jump from related conceptual or material process which creates a fragmented approach to the relating of ideas and methods. Therefore this candidate is still developing a systematic approach to relating ideas and methods in the production of work.

In order for this candidate to achieve with Merit, they would need to have demonstrated understanding of the conventions of performance and how this might assist in the production of related sculptural work. The evidence provided does not purposefully analyse or clarify the sculptural ideas presented and therefore the options are unable to be realised. This candidate would have benefited from investigating a more relevant and specific range of established practice to inform a means of developing and evaluating sculptural ideas systematically.

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Merit

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Merit

This candidate has used assemblage, stitching, embroidering as drawing and construction to demonstrate a very purposeful and logical journey. Simple arrangements have been explored and then regenerated through the analysis of options, provided through a range of three-dimensional drawing methods. The sculptural proposition of manipulation of surface through linear and stylized organic form has been investigated to create a range of resolutions that relate well as a body of work.

The use of materials and ideas have been managed and handled effectively. The use of embroidery as a decorative drawing process could have been explored in greater depth as an assemblage device that may have given rise to a greater range and depth of ideas. The candidate has not recognised the potential for elements or ideas contained in their work to be synthesized towards an inventive resolution, and yet they have demonstrated steady development through a number of works.

In order to gain Achievement with Excellence, this candidate would need to have evaluated and critically related the sculptural processes and ideas used, and demonstrated an ability to synthesize these approaches in the production of work. Secondly this candidate could have given more attention to the building on a range and depth of ideas and methods (in context) in the production of work.

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MeritThis submission shows a range of knowledge and understanding of the established processes, and materials associated with large scale exterior installation. There is evidence that the submission uses and understands particular ideas and methods founded in recent and established installation practice. The candidate has presented clear and effective documentation of the context and detail of each work. This is important in this approach as the notion of context, scale, and materiality is critical in the understanding of this kind of installation.

Whilst there are a number of successful installations in the submission, the candidate has relied upon a derivative attitude in the production of work that has limited the evaluation and relation of methods and ideas in the production of work.

In order for this candidate to have gained Achievement with Excellence, they would have needed to employ a more critical approach to relating and evaluating ideas. This would have enabled the synthesis of a range and depth of ideas and methods in the production of work.

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Excellence

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ExcellenceThis candidate has presented an intelligent, inventive and superbly crafted body of work. This submission demonstrates how it is possible to establish a clear proposition that develops ideas logically and inventively.

There is a commanding understanding of materials and scale that has allowed this candidate to construct an ever-increasing complexity, and yet clarity of ideas. This candidate has also demonstrated a discerning attitude to recognising the best moves forward in the making of sculpture. Therefore, the candidate has been able to build on ideas through risk-taking. With a clear proposition, this portfolio demonstrates a well managed experimentation process.

Although there is a clear narrative to the body of work, the ideas show a discursive exploration that alludes to notions of escape and scale. This allows for a wide range of interpretations of the work. The use of drawing, through documentation of sculptural scale experiments is complimented by the two-dimensional drawings that have been presented. These small graphite drawings operate like conceptual signposts rather than a didactic illustration of sculpture.

The ability of this candidate to work so competently within a range of sculptural materials, methods and processes is augmented by an intuitive attitude to developing ideas. We see this where the found objects are developed within a consistent conceptual framework, to create works that use materials and scale as metaphors.

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ExcellenceThis submission works simply and logically building upon a range and depth of sculptural ideas. The development of ideas has consistently been analysed and re-evaluated through both formal and conceptual elements. This has allowed the candidate to realise lateral steps in the production of work, reaching ambitious outcomes. The way in which the candidate has used materials, found object and site, creates a range of opportunities in order to develop ideas rationally and systematically.

The level of commitment to the production of work has allowed this candidate to finish the portfolio with an outstanding large scale installation. This returns the development of ideas to an exterior installation of simplicity, and yet great power. This submission is also a good example of how three-dimensional drawing can inform the sculptural process. The candidate has consistently made intuitive and logical decisions to move ideas along. For example, the decision to use the packaging of the sugar cubes links the notion of the Bauhaus negative/positive planar paper structure to the candidate’s use of materials and reconstruction of structures in space.

The central proposition of right angle structure reconstruction logically develops into mass and void reconstruction and cubic stacking, towards a deconstruction of architectural space, referencing where the portfolio starts. This regenerating of ideas is thorough and complex and has allowed the candidate to demonstrate a depth of understanding and opportunities to develop a clear passage of further work.