Exploring the Monster
Last Updated Mar 2012
Ceramics students at Hilhi are investigating contemporary culture through monster metaphors. Monsters operate in the space between fear and desire. Through the study of the monster genre, ceramics students will gain awareness that in our society, differences tend to be portrayed as monstrous deviations from a comfortable normalcy. They are learning about monster archetypes and building ceramic monsters that represent a personal or societal "monster."For example, students are learning that Godzilla was conceived as a metaphor for nuclear weapons, and that there are misunderstood monster archetypes, such as King Kong and Frankenstein. Of course, there are also the friendly pop culture monsters that have their popularity: Ugly Dolls, Elmo, and even Chewbacca from Star Wars.
The Making Monsters unit explores the relationship between fear and attraction, between self and other. Students gain a greater understanding of how culture constructs and uses monsters to contain its deepest fears. Thanks to the Oregon Potter's Association's Clay in Education program, Ceramics teacher Kelda Van Patten was able to invite visiting artist James De Rosso to visit her ceramics classes on Wednesday, March 21. De Rosso demonstrated his popular monster techniques and methods and showed students how to experiment with form, texture, and color to create monstrous effects.
James De Rosso exhibits his monster vessels and sculptures every year at the Oregon Potter's Association Showcase exhibit at the Oregon Convention Center, Oregon Country Fair, Clay Fest, Art in the Burbs, and the Wildfire Pottery Showcase in Bend, Oregon. To learn more about James De Rosso's artwork, visit his website: http://monster8all.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment