reflections on the project gesamtkunstwerk bowl · 12/9/2019 · bcb festival visit skills...

Nigel Edwards. Course: BA(Hons) W232 ADZ6222 Research & Development. Gesamtkunstwerk Project

Course/ Module No. ADZ6222

Module Name: Research and Develoment

Project Title: Gesamtkunstwerk Project

Submission Dates: PORT 1 Deadline 13th December 2019

9th December 2019

REFLECTIONS ON THE PROJECT

GESAMTKUNSTWERK BOWL

500 Learning Journal Entry

Core Characteristics and the Position of my Work in the Wider Ceramic Field

In order to define my reflections and development over the last few months of this

project I referred to my statement of intent which I wrote for the summer project; reviewing my

intentions revealed core characteristics, which I only recognise now after applied study, analysis

and personal skills development.

Revisiting the opportunities of development and research over the last four months has

made me realise how exposure to events, artist, lectures, and skills tutorials have enabled me to

grow as a ceramic practitioner and help me begin to understand my direction, and where my

work could be positioned in the wider ceramic field. The opportunities presented to me were

engaging and insightful.


The Ceramic Communities Symposium: “Restating Clay”

“Finding Your Voice” Project.

The opportunity of attendance and involvement

in the Ceramic Communities conference titled

“Restating Clay” was an inspirational event which

enabled access to important contemporary practitioners

who informed about their investigations and

interpretations of clay, the creation of artefacts, the way

in we interact with them, and how ways of thinking

about process could be relevant to me in relation to my

personal practice.

The project, “Finding Your Voice” has

been of great use to my understanding of the

type and number of journals that are readily

available to not only inform my research for my

creative intentions here at University, but also

has helped me evaluate which publications are

relevant to my research and development of my

work, and positioning it in terms of my future

professional development.


Still Life and Creative Strategies

Vicarious Wednesdays, and Into the Fold

Jonathan Clarkson’s series of

lectures considering Still Life explained how

symbolism and representation have been

the theme, reason and explanation of all

genres of art throughout history; however

the creation of still life painting by 17th

century Dutch painters brought about

societal recognition and enthusiasm for

interpreting artistic intentions. Recognition

of symbolic representation further informed

and encouraged me to “read” the artwork to

gain a greater depth of message from any

creative object whether the creative piece is

a painting, a musical work or a ceramic

artefact.

The weekly seminars of Vicarious Wednesdays and

Into the Fold has given me great privileged access to observe

how professional ceramic practitioners develop and create

their work.

The diverse ranges of these seminars have

enlightened me in such topics as skills development

creative rationales and professional development

encouraging me with ideas to evolve my work and

practice.


BCB Festival Visit

Skills Development

This British Ceramics Biennial festival celebrates

diverse practices of renowned ceramic based talent and

gave great insight into how to develop core characteristics of

my work in exhibiting a wealth of process of interpretation

and ceramic techniques.

The curation of the great spectrum of talent was an

important aspect of the exhibition from which I gained

inspiration, helping me to understand the possibilities of how

to develop my statements and references, and how to

position them in context.

Weekly tutorials greatly improved all aspects

of my ceramic practice particularly in developing my

technical throwing and glazing skills. I endeavoured

to pursue parallel learning; investigating glazing to

aid my dissertation research.

I also challenged my throwing skills by using the

Gesamtkunstwerk Bowl project to design and throw wide and

shallow forms. Regular weekly iterations of my part one and part

two bowl, have informed me of good practice at all stages of

ceramic development, from clay and material considerations to

kiln packing programming and firing.


Evaluation of Ideas which Emerged as my Practice Evolved

Positioning my work in the Wider Field of Ceramics

Reviewing the last four months of learning,

access to opportunities, and peer presentations I am

beginning to recognise who I am as a ceramicist, what

my statements are, and recognising my core

characteristics; these often tacit criteria are key

performance indicators which I will keep in mind as my

practice evolves. I have realised that I not only am

inspired by technical and functional design, I also

have an underlying wish to incorporate sculptural

elements in my work.

Through seminars and research I found that I am

particularly interested in the parallel disciplines of artists

who focus on their sculptural work, and also develop

functional, more commercial endeavours. I need to

consider where I position my work in the field of

ceramics as I pivot between functional forms and

sculptural work. I am interested in the parallel disciplines

of artists such as Eusebio Sanchez; I will consider his

methods and also re-visit ceramicists such as Bryan

Newman- whose work I particularly identify with. Both

these artists have created sculptural and functional

works in parallel to each other. I am considering the idea

that this dual approach is a rewarding and creative way

of working; satisfying creative intentions of two

disciplines within my practice.

reflections on the project gesamtkunstwerk bowl · 12/9/2019 · bcb festival visit skills...

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