Dirk Staschke - Bellevue Arts Museum

 Dirk Staschke Falling Feels a Lot Like Flying March 1 – May 27, 2012 Teacher and Student Education Guide Confectional Façade, 2011 Ceramic & mixed media 102 x 48 x 9in. 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS Dirk Staschke Falling Feels a Lot Like Flying March 1 – May 27, 2012 About Bellevue Arts Museum….5 Winner of the John and Joyce Price Award of Excellence of the BAM Biennial 2010: Clay Throwdown!, ceramic artist Dirk Staschke returns to BAM with his first museum solo exhibition, Falling Feels a Lot Like Flying. Desire and consumption are at the heart of this lavish and startlingly realistic installation. Inspired by the bountiful Vanitas still life paintings of 16th‐century Northern Europe and the excessive ornamentation of the Baroque period, Staschke captures the beauty and opulence of a moment in time – creamy and syrupy stacks of sweets – yet, decay and collapse is looming right around the corner. About Bellevue Arts Museum Education Guides….6 EALRs & Curriculum Links….7 ‐ 8 About the Exhibition….9 About the Artist Artist Statement….10 Artist Resumé….11 ‐ 15 Artistic Process….16 ‐ 18 BAM Biennial 2010: Clay Throwdown!....19 Organized by Bellevue Arts Museum, curated by Stefano Catalani. Inspirations This exhibition has been made possible by: Mythology, Legend and Fable*….20 ‐ 25 Confections*….26 Vanitas Still Life Painting and Baroque*….27 ‐ 32 Vocabulary Building….33 Bellevue Arts Museum Education Guides are produced by Eileen Herbert, Education Curator, and Megan Dyer, Youth & Family Education Coordinator. Teachers and students are welcome to use these guides to supplement museum visits for educational purposes. Glossary of Terms….34 ‐ 36 Reading List….37 ‐ 39 *Lesson Links! 3
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About Bellevue Arts Museum
Arts Museum Educators Guide
Mission: Bellevue Arts Museum is the Pacific Northwest’s center for the exploration of art, craft and design through exhibition, educational programs and partnerships, emphasizing the work of regional artists. History: The Pacific Northwest Arts and Crafts Association, Bellevue Arts Museum’s sponsor, was founded in 1947 with two goals in mind: to promote the artists and crafts people of the region, and to establish a cultural and educational center serving Bellevue and East King County. The first event sponsored by the Pacific Northwest Arts and Crafts Association was an outdoor art fair presented in Bellevue Square, a regional shopping center, in July 1947. The annual Fair has been held in the same location ever since, and today the Bellevue Arts Museum ARTSfair is the largest and most prominent art event in the Northwest, attracting more than 330,000 visitors each year. Bellevue Arts Museum was established as an arts museum in 1975. Over the years, the Museum has consistently presented high quality exhibitions that have had a broad regional and/or national impact and has developed a strong reputation as an important showcase for contemporary and traditional art. Deciding to tap back into the museum’s roots as a community art fair, the Board of Trustees hired national craft and design expert Michael Monroe, who had served as curator and then director of the Smithsonian’s Renwick Gallery of American Craft and Director of the American Craft Council, in 2004 to head the renewed vision of "illuminating and enriching the human spirit through art, craft and design." Since then the Museum has presented 46 world‐class exhibitions celebrating high‐caliber international and local artists, as well as over 500 free or low‐cost educational programs attracting over 50,000 annual visitors. In 2012, Bellevue Arts Museum will continue its focus on craft and design by both Northwest and internationally renowned artists while expanding its programming and outreach. Bellevue Arts Museum is happy to offer education guides that help draw connections between exhibitions and classrooms. The information, activities and ideas provided in these education guides work best when they are supported by a classroom visit to the Museum and a docent‐led tour. Educators are welcome to mold the activities and assessments to fit their specific classroom environments. Educators are allowed to make copies of information related to exhibits provided they are for educational purposes and classroom use. Thank you for your interest in Bellevue Arts Museum. We look forward to seeing you in our galleries. Sincerely, Bellevue Arts Museum Education Staff 5
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Curriculum Links
Many connections can be made between curricula taught in the classroom and the exhibit Dirk Staschke: Falling Feels a Lot Like Flying at Bellevue Arts Museum. By visiting the Museum and using this Education Guide as a resource supplement, teachers can build upon on what their students see and learn at the Museum to lessons in European history, literature, art history, issues in American culture, healthy eating, mythology and fables (and the life‐lessons that they teach), geography, symbolism and vocabulary building. Throughout this guide are Lesson Links! that we believe will fulfill the following EARL’s when incorporated in the classroom in conjunction with a Museum visit. EALRs ‐ Washington State Learning Standards ARTS 1. The student understands and applies arts knowledge and skills. 1.1 Understand and apply arts styles from various artists, cultures and times. 1.3 Understand arts concepts and vocabulary. 2. The student demonstrates thinking skills using artistic processes. 2.1 Apply a creative process in the arts . 4. The student makes connections within and across the arts, to other disciplines, life, cultures and work. 4.1 Demonstrate and analyze the connection among the arts disciplines. 4.2 Demonstrate and analyze the connection between the arts and other content areas. 4.4 Understand that the arts shape and reflect culture and history. COMMUNICATION 1. The student uses listening and observation skills and strategies to gain understanding. 1.1 Uses listening and observation skills and strategies to focus attention and interpret information. 1.2 Understands, analyzes, synthesizes or evaluates information from a variety of sources. 7
WRITING 2. The student writes in a variety of forms for different audiences and purposes. 2.2 Writes for different purposes. 2.3 Writes in a variety of forms/genres. 3. The student writes clearly and effectively. 3.1 Develops ideas and organizes writing. 3.2 Uses appropriate style. 3.3 Knows and applies writing conventions appropriate for the grade level. 8
About the Exhibition – From the Curator Artist Statement
Winner of the John and Joyce Price Award of Excellence for the 2010 edition of the BAM Biennial: Clay Throwdown!, Dirk Staschke returns to Bellevue Arts Museum with his first museum solo exhibition, Falling Feels a Lot Like Flying. Inspired by the unsettling and beautiful Flemish and Dutch Vanitas still life paintings of the 16th and 17th centuries and the celebration of excessive ornamentation of the Baroque period, Staschke’s monumentally lavish yet hollow ceramic work uses symbols of abundance to offer a breathtaking commentary on craving, overconsumption and excess in our times. Staschke’s masterful and meticulous decorations are per se an ambiguous revelation of both truth and deceit. With their startling and extremely realistic appearance, the sculptures in the exhibition create optical illusions which are euphoric and convincing at first glance, yet—filled with a gloomy lush—reveal a sense of melancholy and finitude. “A magic trick” says the artist, “requires the viewer’s complicity in that we want to believe in something that deep down we know is impossible. The title of the show, Falling Feels a Lot Like Flying, is an instance where one sensation is easily mistaken, or accepted, for another. Breaking the mold of the two‐dimensional world of Vanitas painting, Staschke brings new life to a time‐tested genre with the skills and vision of an accomplished master of his own craft. We are indebted to the artist for pushing the limits of what hands can make with mere clay and glazes, and a year‐and‐a‐
half long tour de force of days and nights spent working on each piece, painstakingly and meticulously. Stefano Catalani Director of Curatorial Affairs/Artistic Director “...we want to believe in something that deep down we know is
impossible. The title of the show, Falling Feels a Lot Like Flying, is an
instance where one sensation is easily mistaken, or accepted, for
another. Given a long enough fall, one may only realize the
difference as the ground rapidly approaches.”
- Dirk Staschke
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Falling feels a lot like flying. It’s been said that desire is the root of all unhappiness. Is it possible to be content in the moment with what one has at hand, when the mind seduces us with a yearning for the past, a wish for the future, and above all a desire for more? My work uses symbols of longing to explore notions of human desire and its repercussions. Vanitas still life paintings of 16th‐century Northern Europe recognize the fleeting nature of life and question the futility of earthly pursuits and acquisitions. I am intrigued by the inherent contradictions of Vanitas art that invites the enjoyment of beautiful objects while simultaneously forewarning the viewer to beware of material desires. In much the same way, my work points the opulent decorative object of ceramic inward upon itself. The physical process of building each piece reveals the necessities of working with clay, in that it cannot be fired in a solid form. What seems a grand gesture on the surface remains hollow and empty on the inside. Unlike real food, sustenance becomes a concept locked in its sculptural form, merely a shell of what is represented. Still life paintings are also an attempt to capture a moment in time. My sculptures capture the precarious instant before or after collapse or collision. Like the magician’s sleight of hand, they reveal impossible instances where outward appearances are very different than the reality, at times evoking an uncanny or an uncomfortable strangeness. This distortion of reality becomes both literal and metaphorical. Dirk Staschke 10
Artist Resumé
Education 1998 Alfred University, Alfred, NY, Master of Fine Arts Degree 1995 University of Montevallo, Montevallo, AL, Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree Teaching Experience 2007‐ Emily Carr University, Vancouver, BC, Canada, sessional 2006 Wayne Art Center, Philadelphia, PA, Art faculty 2005 Alfred University, Alfred, NY, Visiting Assistant Professor fall semester 2003‐04 Burlington City Arts, VT, Art faculty 2002‐03 New York University (NYU), New York, NY, Adjunct professor Sculpture (2 years) 2000‐03 Nassau Community College, Garden City, NY, Adjunct professor Ceramics (3 years) 1999‐03 92nd Street YMHA, New York, NY, Art Faculty (4 years) 1998‐03 Greenwich House Pottery, New York, NY, Faculty (5 years) 1999 Alfred University, Alfred, NY, Visiting professor for summer school Visiting Artist 2010 Givat Haviva Cultural Center, Artist in residence, Menashe, Israel 2009 Capilano University, Vancouver, BC, Canada 2007 Emily Carr University, Vancouver, BC, Canada 2004 Central Academy of Fine Art (CAFA), Beijing, China 2003 Queens College, Queens, NY 2002 Alfred University, Six week Residency Program, Alfred, NY Alabama State Council On The Arts, Montgomery, AL, Guest Speaker 2001 SUNY New Paltz University, New Paltz, NY 2000 University of Hartford, Hartford, CT 1999 University of Montevallo, Montevallo, AL Solo Exhibitions 2012 Dirk Staschke: Falling Feels a Lot Like Flying, Bellevue Arts Museum, Bellevue WA 2009 Making Arrangements, Wexler Gallery, Philadelphia, PA 2006 Wexler Gallery, Ornament, Philadelphia, PA 2004 Clay Art Center, Port Chester, NY Wexler Gallery, Philadelphia, PA 11
2003 John Elder Gallery, New York, NY Selected Exhibitions 2010 BAM Biennial 2010: Clay Throwdown!, Bellevue Arts Museum, Bellevue, WA 2010 Two person show, Gallery Jones, Vancouver, British, Columbia 2010 Portraiture Beyond Likeness, Ethel Sergeant Clark Smith Gallery, Wayne, PA 2009 5th World Ceramic Exposition Biennial, Gwango‐dong, South Korea 2008 Confrontational Ceramics, Westchester Arts Council, White Plains, NY A Human Impulse, Arizona State University Museum, Tempe, Arizona (In) Between, Wexler Gallery, Philadelphia, PA 2006 Edges of Grace, The Fuller Craft Museum, Brockton, MA Mind and Body , Garth Clark Gallery, New York, NY 2005 Politics as Usual, The Yager Museum of Art and Culture, Hartwick College, Oneonta, NY Vanitas, Lacost Gallery, Concord, MA Renwick Art Alliance, Washington, DC 2004 Bare Clay, Ceramic Nudes in 20th Century Art, Garth Clark Gallery, New York, NY 2003 Poetics of Clay, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Beaumont TX 2002 Ceramic Masterworks, Moderne Gallery, Philadelphia, PA SOFA Exhibition, Chicago, IL, w/ Helen Drutt Galley Ceramic Artists of the Northeast, The Slater Museum, Norwich, CT New Talent: New Work, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA 2001 Gallery Group Plus, Helen Drutt Galley, Philadelphia, PA Craft at the Turn of the Millennium, The Monmouth Museum, Lincroft, NJ Reunion, Helen Drutt Gallery, Philadelphia, PA The Figure Show, Pewabic Pottery Gallery, Detroit, MI 2000 Emerging Artists, John Elder Gallery, New York, NY Political Clay, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA Spaces: Interior and Exterior, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA 1999 Block Hall Gallery, 2 person show, University of Montevallo, AL Rendezvous 99, Invitational, Museum of Nebraska Art, Kearney, NE Looking In The Mirror, Aspects of Figurative Ceramics, Riley Hawk Gallery, OH 12
Artistic Process – Ceramics
Artists on their Own, National Competition, The Jane Hartsook Gallery, New York, NY Source: Glendale Community College, Ceramics Dept. http://seco.glendale.edu/ceramics/ceramicprocess.html Selected Publications 2009 Making Arrangements, Colette Copeland, Ceramic Art and Perception, issue 76 2009 500 Ceramic Sculptures, Glen Brown, Lark Books, USA 2008 Industrial Chinoiserie, Glen Brown, Ceramic Art and Perception, issue 71, Feature article 2007 Confrontational Ceramics, Judith Schwartz. Penn, USA 2006 Ceramics Monthly, "Up front", April. 2004 Ceramics Monthly, "Up front", September, p.26 2004 500 Figures in Clay, Veronika Gunter, Lark Books, USA 2003 American Craft, December 2002 World Contemporary Ceramic Art, (author) Baiming, Jiangxi fine art Publications, China, p.36 2001 Consequences of Intent, Scott K. Meyer PhD. Ceramic Art and Perception, June. Feature article 1998 The Influence of Educational Institutions on Contemporary Ceramics, Andrea Gill, Studio Potter, June, p.16 Grants and Awards 2011 Canada Council for the Arts, Production Grant 2010 Bellevue Arts Museum Biennial winner, John & Joyce Price Award of Excellence. Collections 2009 Icheon Museum, World Ceramic Center, Gwango‐dong, South Korea 2008 ASU Art Museum, Tempe, AZ 2007 The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Houston, TX 2006 The Smithsonian, American Art Museum, Renwick Gallery, Wash. DC 1998 The International Museum of Ceramic Art, Alfred, NY 1995 Southern Progress Corporate Collection, Birmingham, AL 1992‐present Various Private collections 13
Clay Preparation The first step in working in ceramics is the finding of a plastic clay body. In the
past, potters had to dig their own clay from locally available sources as there
were no other options. Some potters still dig their own clay and feel a valuable
connection to the earth through this process. Native American potters of the
Southwest traditionally make an offering for the clay they take from the earth to
use for their pots. This process is quite labor intensive and is very difficult for
urban potters today. Most buy commercially available clay bodies from one of the many ceramic suppliers in the area they live as shipping costs for something
as heavy as clay can become expensive. Wedging Wedging is the process of mixing the clay by hand by rotating and pressing a clay ball on a table. The purpose is to thoroughly homogenize the clay and to
remove all air bubbles. This is particularly important, as the presence of air
bubbles in the clay will result in explosions in the kiln as the air pockets expand
and burst. You will know if there is air in your clay if you see holes, like in Swiss
cheese, when you slice through the clay with a wire. Forming After the clay has been thoroughly wedged, it may be formed by a variety of
methods: slab, wheel, coil, pinch, and mold. These methods may be combined, or used singly. 14
Drying Glazing When the clay bag is opened, the drying process begins. As clay dries, it loses water, becomes stiffer, and shrinkage begins. After forming, pieces you create
should be wrapped in soft sheets of plastic (without holes) and placed on the
shelves in the DAMP ROOM. The plastic will slow down (but not stop) the drying
process, to ensure that when you return several days later, your pieces will still
be workable. Now the glazing process can begin. The glaze, a mixture of ground glass, clays,
coloring materials and water, is applied to the bisque pot by dipping, pouring, spraying, brushing, sponging or some combination of these techniques. The footring of each piece must be free of glaze and the pot glued to a bisque fired 'cookie' made from a stoneware clay body. Leather Hard After your pieces have dried for a few days in the damp room in plastic, they will
reach a stage of partial dryness referred to as leather hard. This stage of drying is characterized by a loss of water through evaporation that results in the clay's
stiffening and losing some flexibility. This is an excellent time to refine the piece:
carving excess clay, adding handles or decorative elements, trimming the
footring of a bowl, etc. This is the last chance you have to change the shape of
the piece! Once the clay has dried beyond this point, no further shape changes can be accomplished. Glaze Firing Again, the firing process is a 3 day affair. After the glaze‐firing temperature of 2,350 degrees F. has been reached, the pots are left for 3 days to cool. A Peek inside the Artist’s Studio Greenware When a piece of pottery has dried completely it is referred to as a piece of greenware. This means it has lost all water through evaporation and has no
flexibility. Bending it will break it. You cannot add anything to it. You cannot
carve anything from it. You cannot do anything to it except break it! This is
purely a passive state for the clay awaiting the first firing. Bisque Firing The work is loaded into the kilns for the first of two firings. This firing is to
approximately 1,800 degrees F. This hardens the ware, making it easier to handle without breaking during the glazing process. Clay fired at this
temperature still retains its porosity however. The porosity of a material refers
to its ability to absorb a liquid. The liquid part of glaze, in this case water, is
absorbed by the porous bisque ware, and the glassy materials in the glaze are left deposited on the surface of the bisque ware. So, the bisque process is
simply done to make glazing easier. The bisque firing takes a total of 3 days from
start to finish. On day one, the kiln is loaded with the dry greenware and the kiln is lit, set at a low setting to dry the ware, and left overnight to slowly warm.
Firing too fast during this early stage of the firing can easily cause the work to
explode! On day two, the kiln is gradually turned higher and the temperature
rises until the target temperature of 1,800 degrees F is reached. The kiln is then turned off and allowed to slowly cool. On day three, the kiln is opened, the
bisque ware removed. 15
Confectional Façade ‐ This large piece was constructed on a flat surface, and then lifted vertically. The geese’s wings in A Consuming Allegory had to be made separately, and then carefully attached. Dirk created all of the porcelain plates in Confectional Façade, like the one you see with the broken cake. 16
BAM Biennial 2010: Clay Throwdown!
Inspirations: Mythology, Legend and Fable
About BAM Biennial BAM Biennial is a juried exhibition that occurs every two years starting in 2010. It brings attention and exposure to the work of contemporary artists and craftsmen in the Pacific Northwest. For each edition, the Museum designates a new focus, exploring a specific medium, technique, process or theme in art, craft and design, the Museum's artistic focal point. BAM Biennial 2010: Clay Throwdown! August 28, 2010 ‐ January 16, 2011 Clay Throwdown! featured a select blend of both emerging and established artists with an emphasis on new and site‐specific works. It reflected the diverse responses of contemporary artists to one of the oldest media known to man: clay. From personal gestures to commentary on today's social issues, Clay Throwdown! assembled a wide range of voices unique to the Pacific Northwest and our time. More than 170 proposals were submitted to the 2010 edition which focused on the theme of clay. 34 artists were selected to participate in the competition. Submissions were reviewed by a select panel of four jurors comprised of: Bif Brigman, collector (Seattle, WA); Stefano Catalani, Director of Curatorial Affairs/Artistic Director, Bellevue Arts Museum (Bellevue, WA); Akio Takamori, artist (Seattle, WA) and Namita Wiggers, Curator, Museum of Contemporary Craft (Portland, OR). The Cornucopia
Winner of the John and Joyce Price Award
In Greek mythology, the Cornucopia, literally meaning ‘horn of plenty,’ comes from the legend of Zeus’ childhood. Amalthea was a nymph – sometimes represented as a goat – and the foster mother of Zeus on Mount Ida in Crete. Cronos, the father of Zeus, knew that one of his sons was destined to depose him, just as he had deposed his father Ouranos. Taking no chances, Cronos swallowed each of his children when they were born. When Zeus was born, his mother Rhea wrapped a stone in swaddling clothes in place of her youngest son to fool Cronos. She then took the baby Zeus to Mount Ida in Crete and hid him in a cave. It is said that he was nursed by a goat named Amalthea and that he was fostered by a nymph of the same name who fed him on goat's milk. To cover up the noise and keep Cronos from discovering his wife’s plot to protect her son, Amalthea asked the Kuretes or Korybantes to gather around her and make noise to disguise the sound of a crying infant. When Zeus was playing with the goat Amalthea, he accidentally broke off one of her horns. To atone for this, Zeus promised Amalthea that the horn would always be full of whatever fruits she desired. This became the cornucopia of the Roman goddess Copia, the personification of plenty. Other goddesses, including Fortuna and Pax, also held the cornucopia. There are various versions of the origins of the cornucopia, another alternative tells it was Amalthea who tore the horn off herself and used it to feed Zeus. The cornucopia is most frequently associated with the goddess of the harvest, Demeter, but is also associated with other gods, including the aspect of the Underworld god that is the god of wealth, Pluto, since the horn symbolizes abundance. The John and Joyce Price Award of Excellence was awarded to Dirk Staschke for his submission My Beautiful Nothing. Demeter (or perhaps
Tykhe) with turrent crown,
plough-shaft and a
cornucopia (horn of plenty)
brimming with fruit.
Museo Pio-Clementino,
Musei Vaticani, Vatican City. Plethora, 2009. Ceramic. 4.6 x 4.6 x 1.2 ft. My Beautiful Nothing, 2010. Ceramic and mixed media 17
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Icarus and Daedalus
Map of Greece and the Island of Crete Daedalus was a talented inventor and craftsman from Athens, imprisoned with his son, Icarus, by King Minos in the palace of Knossos, Crete. Daedalus built the Labyrinth for the king to imprison the Minotaur (part man, part bull), but was exiled for giving Ariadne, Mino’s daughter, a clew (ball of string) to help Theseus survive the Labyrinth and kill the Minotaur. King Minos carefully guarded the sea and land, so Daedalus fashioned two pairs of wings out of feathers and wax for himself and his son to escape by air. After trying his wings first, Daedalus taught his son to fly. Before escaping the island, he warned his son not to fly too close to the sun because the wax would melt in the heat and his wings would come apart. Nor fly too close to the sea, as the sea foam would dampen the feathers and weigh him down. Elated with happiness from the freedom of flight, Icarus soared up and up and got too close to the blazing sun. The wax melted from his wings and he fell into the sea and drowned. Overcome with grief, Daedalus named the area where Icarus fell, the Icarian Sea, near the island of Icaria, southwest of Samos. The myth of Icarus and Daedalus is a tragic example of failed ambition, or hubris (extreme haughtiness, pride or arrogance). Above: The Palace of Knossos,
Crete. On the left, a digital
reconstruction of the palace as it
might have looked during the reign
of King Minos. On the right, the
remains of the Palace of Knossos
showing the bright, richly‐colored columns and frescos that once decorated the Palace. Theseus defeating the Minotaur
Peter Paul Rubens. The Fall of Icarus, 1636. Oil on wood, 27 x 27 cm. Musee Royaux des Beaux‐Arts, Brussels 19
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Swan Song
The Swan Song is a legend from Ancient Greece. It was a widely‐held belief that the swan is silent for its entire life, until the moment just before dying, when it sings one beautiful and melancholy song. While this is not true, swans are not mute during life and they do not sing as they die, it has provided inspiration for Western artists and poets from Ovid, to Chaucer and Shakespeare. It is also an idiom referring to a final theatrical or dramatic appearance, or any final work or accomplishment. Orlando Gibbons (1583 ‐ 1625), English composer and musician wrote the madrigal “The Silver Swan” The silver Swan, who living had no Note, when Death approached, unlocked her silent throat. Leaning her breast against the reedy shore, thus sang her first and last, and sang no more: "Farewell, all joys! O Death, come close mine eyes! "More Geese than Swans now live, more Fools than Wise." Reinier van Parsjin. The singing swan, 1655
Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809 ‐ 1892) wrote the poem “The Dying Swan” I. The plain was grassy, wild and bare, Wide, wild, and open to the air, Which had built up everywhere An under‐roof of doleful gray. With an inner voice the river ran, Adown it floated a dying swan, And loudly did lament. It was the middle of the day. Ever the weary wind went on, And took the reed‐tops as it went. II. Some blue peaks in the distance rose, And white against the cold‐white sky, Shone out their crowning snows. One willow over the river wept, And shook the wave as the wind did sigh; Above in the wind was the swallow, Chasing itself at its own wild will, And far thro' the marish green and still The tangled water‐courses slept, Shot over with purple, and green, and yellow. III. The wild swan's death‐hymn took the soul Of that waste place with joy Hidden in sorrow: at first to the ear The warble was low, and full and clear; And floating about the under‐sky, Prevailing in weakness, the coronach stole Sometimes afar, and sometimes anear; But anon her awful jubilant voice, With a music strange and manifold, Flow'd forth on a carol free and bold; As when a mighty people rejoice With shawms, and with cymbals, and harps of gold, And the tumult of their acclaim is roll'd Thro' the open gates of the city afar, To the shepherd who watcheth the evening star. And the creeping mosses and clambering weeds, And the willow‐branches hoar and dank, And the wavy swell of the soughing reeds, And the wave‐worn horns of the echoing bank, And the silvery marish‐flowers that throng The desolate creeks and pools among, Were flooded over with eddying song. Source: The Works Of Alfred Lord Tennyson. Copyright 1893. London: Macmillan And Co. Toronto: The Copp Clark Co. Limited. http://www.litscape.com/author/Alfred_Lord_Tennyson/The_Dying_Swan.html 21
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The Goose with the Golden Eggs – Aesop’s Fables
“One day a countryman going to the nest of his Goose found there an egg all yellow and glittering. When he took it up it was as heavy as lead and he was going to throw it away, because he thought a trick had been played upon him. But he took it home on second thoughts, and soon found to his delight that it was an egg of pure gold. Every morning the same thing occurred, and he soon became rich by selling his eggs. As he grew rich he grew greedy; and thinking to get at once all the gold the Goose could give, he killed it and opened it only to find nothing.” “Greed oft o'er reaches itself.” Lesson Links!
Fables: A Fable (Latin for “little story”) is a short story that imparts a moral lesson. These stories were most often shared by oral transmission, rather than written prose. Fables often feature animals, mythical creatures, plants, inanimate objects or forces of nature that are given human qualities. While fables can be found in almost every country, Aesop’s Fables are some of the best‐known in western cultures. Some of the most famous include “The Tortoise and the Hare,” “The Lion and the Mouse,” and “The Crow and the Pitcher.” Students will research Aesop’s Fables and pick one or two of their favorites to share with the class. Who were the characters in the story? What happened in the story? What was the moral of the story? Extension: Students write their own fables, including at least two characters and a moral lesson. In the space below, students draw a picture about their story. MY FABLE
The artist references this fable in his work A Consuming Allegory. There are no golden eggs hidden amongst the other offerings on the table. Instead the artist is more subtle, by painting the eyes of the geese gold. A Consuming Allegory, 2012. Ceramic. 6.5 x 5 x 3 ft. 23
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Lesson Links!
Inspirations: Confections
Dirk includes lots of delicious sweet treats in his art that look good enough to eat! The artists uses ice cream, cakes and pastries to show that even though these foods look wonderful and might taste good too, if you tried to eat everything in Wishing Well, Knowing Otherwise, it would not end well. This is a great opportunity to discuss healthy eating with students, particularly healthy portion sizes. What foods did they see in the exhibit that are good for you (fruits, vegetables, meat) and what foods did they see (sugars and fats) that should be limited to special occasions. Extension: Have students keep a food journal for one week. This tool is great for learning about our eating habits and how emotions can be connected with food. Eclair
A long, thin choux pastry
filled with Italian cream
and iced with chocolate
Macaroon
Cannoli
A crisp shell filled with
sweet ricotta cheese
filling and chocolate
chips.
Donut
Cannoli Napoleon
A "cream horn'' puff
pastry filled with
custard.
Pie a la mode
“Sweets themselves are
innocence...a desire you
know is not good for you....”
- Dirk Staschke
Wishing Well, Knowing Otherwise (detail),
2011. Ceramic
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Inspirations: Vanitas Still Life Paintings
Food Journal Student’s Name ________________________ What is Vanitas?
Date: Meal What you ate and drank Afterwards I felt (Happy, Hyper, Tired, Sick, Energized, Relaxed, Moody) Date: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Snacks Beverages (soda pop, juice, coffee, etc.) Meal What you ate and drank Afterwards I felt (Happy, Hyper, Tired, Sick, Energized, Relaxed, Moody) Breakfast Lunch Dinner Snacks Beverages (soda pop, juice, coffee, etc.) The word vanitas comes from a quotation from the Book of Ecclesiastes 1:2. It is translated to mean 'vanity of vanities, all is vanity.' Vanitas still life painting is a specific genre of art in which the artist uses symbolic objects (such as skulls, food, certain animals, fading flowers, burning candles, soap bubbles, etc.) in order to remind the viewer of how short life can be and that death is inevitable. The style rose to prominence in the 16th and 17th centuries, primarily in the Netherlands, Flanders and France. Vanitas paintings of the Baroque period and the Golden Age of Dutch Art usually contain elaborate pictorial messages with moral undertones that urge the viewer to relinquish earthly pleasures and pursue a meaningful spiritual life. However, the genre evolved considerably over time and shed much of its religiosity. Some Vanitas pieces could be understood as a call to seize the day and to make every moment count because life is short. Still Life: An Allegory of the Vanities of Human Life by Harmen Steenwyck is a classic example of a Dutch Vanitas painting. Steenwyck cautions the viewer to be careful about placing too much importance in the wealth and pleasures of this life. Its influence can be seen in many modern works of art, such as Paul Cezanne’s Pyramid of Skulls. Harmen Steenwyck,.Still Life: An Allegory of the Vanities of Human Life, 1640. Oil on oak panel. The National Gallery, London 27
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Vanitas Symbols
Vanitas Symbols
The chronometer (the timepiece that resembles a pocket watch)
symbolized the brevity of life. The purple silk cloth is an example of physical luxury. Silk is the
finest of all materials, while purple was the most expensive color
dye. As a symbol, the Japanese Samurai sword works on two levels. It represents both military power and superior craftsmanship. These
razor‐edged swords, which were handcrafted to perfection by skilled
artisans, were both beautiful and deadly weapons. The shell (Turbinidae), which is a highly polished specimen usually
found in Southeast Asia, is a symbol of wealth, as only a rich
collector would own such a rare object from a distant land. Shells
are also used in art as symbols of birth and fertility. The skull is the universal symbol of death, and serves as a reminder of the certainty of death. A pile of old, well-used books represent the range of human knowledge, and the possible vanity of the scholarly life. The musical instruments suggest the pleasures of the senses. Both are seen as luxuries and indulgences of this life. The hourglass reminds the viewer that our time on earth is fleeting and eventually time runs out for every human life. Rotten fruit symbolizes aging and decay. Bubbles represent the brevity of life and suddenness of death. They
are often painted hovering above other objects, showing the
transience of all worldly things. Flickering candles and smoke also symbolize the brevity of life. Here
the gold oil lamp, which has just been extinguished, marks the
length and passing of life. 29
A glass of wine, or an empty glass fallen over on its side, symbolizes worldly pleasures and the senses. Wine is an example of indulgence, and the viewer is reminded of the brevity and fragility of life when the glass is emptied, or falls and breaks. A common symbol for blood, wine also has religious connotations, especially when depicted next to bread, representing the Eucharists. Lemons, not native to Northern Europe, represent wealth, making reference to the powerful Dutch Merchant fleets bringing back spices and luxuries from the Far East. A peeled lemon, like life, is attractive to look at, but bitter to taste. 30
Lesson Links! In the exhibition Dirk Staschke: Falling Feels a Lot Like Flying, the artist captures a moment in time with his sculptural still life works. Still life paintings became popular in the 17th‐century and it is possible to get a taste of what everyday life might have looked liked from what the artist included in his or her paintings – what people ate (or wanted to eat), what people did for entertainment (hunted, read books or played music), or what possessions people were proud to own and wanted to show off. In Vanitas still life paintings, the objects can have a deeper, more symbolic meaning. The objects in a still life are not random, they are chosen carefully by the artist. The objects are also arranged in a specific way, so the composition is balanced. Using Dirk’s work and examples of still life paintings, look at how objects are arranged. Are all the objects on one side of table, or in the center? Are some objects in front of others? Does the composition feel balanced? Students will draw (or paint) their own still life using objects that have special meaning to the student or represent them in some way. For example, if a student plays soccer, likes to listen to music and wants to be a pilot, he or she could include a soccer ball, head phones, and a small toy airplane. Students should include at least three objects in their still life, applying the concept of balance to their compositions when they arrange their objects on a table. Use the box below to brainstorm about what objects to include in their picture. My favorite activity is: _______________________________________ When I am alone, I dream about doing: __________________________ I am really good at: __________________________________________ When I grow up, I want to be: __________________________________ My favorite song/book/movie is: _______________________________ __________________________________________________________ 31
Historic Connections:
Baroque Ornamentation
The word “baroque” comes from barroco, the Portuguese word meaning ‘misshapen pearl.’ It was first used in a negative way to describe the heavily ornate style of music of the period from 1600 to 1750. The Baroque style in art and architecture developed in Europe a short time later, from the early 17th to mid‐18th century, emphasizing dramatic or theatrical effect, and typified by bold, curving forms and elaborate ornamentation. Baroque art achieves a new kind of naturalism that reflects some of the scientific advances of the period. The overall compositional balance of Baroque art uses diagonal lines to lead the eye and divide a painting, more dramatic than the vertical and horizontal lines commonly seen in Renaissance art. Baroque color and light are dramatically contrasted, and surfaces are richly textured. Allegory takes on a new significance in Baroque art, going beyond biblical contexts. Harmen Steenwyck. Still Life: An Allegory of the Vanities of Human Life, 1640. Oil on oak panel. The National Gallery, London 32
A Moment in Time: Western Europe, 17th Century
•
Age of Absolutism: Louis XIV of France, Philip IV of Spain, Charles I of England •
Heliocentrism and advances in science: Kepler, Copernicus, Galileo, Newton Vocabulary Building
Allegory
A poem, play, picture, etc, in which the apparent meaning of the characters and events is used to symbolize a deeper moral or spiritual meaning. Use of symbolism to illustrate truth or a moral. A Consuming Allegory, 2012. Ceramic. 6.5 x 5 x 3 ft.
•
Dutch East India Company; the rise of capitalism Confection
The act of compounding or mixing: any sweet preparation, like candy; an elaborate article of clothing; anything regarded as over elaborate or frivolous; a medicinal drug sweetened with sugar or honey. •
Witch craze in Europe and New England •
Great Fire of London (1666) •
New genres in painting: landscape, Vanitas, still life Confectional Façade, 2011. Ceramic & mixed media. 102 x 48 x 9 in.
Plethora
Superfluity or excess; overabundance. Plethora, 2009. Ceramic. 4.6 x 4.6 x 1.2 ft.
Premonition
An intuition of a future occurrence; foreboding; forewarning. Premonition, 2008. Ceramic. 10 x 2.4 x 6 in.
Jules Hardouin-Monsart and Charles Le Brun, Galerie des Glaces (Hall of Mirrors).
Palace of Versailles, 1680
“Still life paintings are also an attempt to capture a moment in time. My
sculptures capture the precarious instant before or after collapse or
collusion.”
- Dirk Staschke
Propagation
To multiply or breed; to extend to a broader area or larger number; spread. Propagation, 2008. Ceramic. 1.8 x 1.8 x 7 in. 33
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Glossary of Terms – Ceramics
Alumina ‐ One of three necessary ingredients in a glaze, which gives the glaze a viscosity. Bagwall ‐ The wall on the inside of a fuel burning kiln which deflects the flame from the ware. Bat ‐ A flat disc made out of plaster, wood or plastic which is affixed to the wheel head with clay or pins. Bats are used to throw pieces on that would be difficult to lift off the wheel head. Batch ‐ A mixture of weighed materials such as a batch of glaze or slip or a clay body. Banding Wheel ‐ A revolving wheelhead which sits on a pedestal base. It is turned by hand and used for finishing or decorating pottery. Bisque ‐ Pottery which has been fired once, without glaze, to a temperature just before vitrification. Bisque Fire ‐ First firing, without glaze. Slips can be used in a bisque firing. Bone Dry ‐ Completely air dried. Burnishing ‐ The ancient rubbing process of burnishing polishes the outside skin of a clay pot while greatly reducing its porosity. This finishing is done by hand, using a stone or a metal piece which is usually embedded in a wad of wet clay that perfectly fits the burnisher's hand. Calipers ‐ A tool used to measure the diameter of round forms, for example calipers are used to get lids to fit just right. Centering ‐ Technique to move the clay into a symmetrical rotating axis in the middle of a wheel head so you can throw it. Chuck ‐ A piece used to aid the potter in trimming. A chuck is a form that can hold a pot upside‐down above the wheelhead while the potter trims it. Clay ‐ Alumina + silica + water. Clay body ‐ A mixture of different types of clays and minerals for a specific ceramic purpose. For example, Porcelain is a translucent white clay body. Coil ‐ A piece of clay rolled like a rope, used in making pottery. Compress ‐ Pushing the clay down and together, forcing the particles of clay closer. Composite Pots ‐ Pots that were thrown or hand built in separate pieces and then assembled. Cone ‐ Pyrometric ‐ A pyramid composed of clay and glaze, made to melt and bend at specific temperatures. It is used in a kiln to determine the end of a firing or in some electric kilns it shuts off a kiln setter. Crazing ‐ The cracking of a glaze on a fired pot. It is the result of the glaze shrinking more than the clay body in the cooling process. Crawling ‐ A bare spot (from the shrinking of a glaze) on a finished piece where oil or grease prevents the glaze from adhering to pottery. Damper ‐ A slab of refractory clay that is used to close or partially close the flue of a kiln. Dry‐Foot ‐ To keep the foot or bottom of a pot free from glaze by waxing or removing the glaze. Earthenware ‐ A low‐fired clay body. Glazed pottery is fired to a temperature of 1,830 ‐ 2,010 degrees Fahrenheit. Available in red or also white. Engobe ‐ Colored clay slip used to decorate Greenwear or leather hard pieces before bisque firing. Clay + oxide + water. Fire ‐ To heat a clay object in a kiln to a specific temperature. Firebrick ‐ An insulation brick used to hold the heat in the kiln and withstand high temperatures. Firing Range ‐ The range of temperature at which a clay becomes mature or a glaze melts. Flux ‐ A melting agent causing silica to change into a glaze. Foot ‐ Base of a ceramic form. Frit ‐ A glaze material that is derived from flux and silica which are melted together and reground into a fine powder. Glaze ‐ A thin coating of glass. An impervious silicate coating, which is developed in clay ware by the fusion under heat of inorganic materials. Glaze firing ‐ The final firing, with glaze. Gloss Glaze ‐ A shiny reflective gloss. Greenware ‐ Unfired pottery. Ready to be bisque fired. Grog ‐ Fired clay ground to various mesh sizes. Kiln ‐ A furnace of refractory clay bricks for firing pottery and for fusing glass. Kiln Furniture ‐ Refractory posts and shelves used for stacking pottery in the kiln for firing. Kiln Wash ‐ Mixture of Kaolin, flint and water. It is painted on one side of the kiln shelves to separate any glaze drips from the shelf. Leather Hard ‐ Stage of the clay between plastic and bone dry. Clay is still damp enough to join it to other pieces using slip. For example, this is the stage when handles are applied to mugs. Majolica ‐ A low fire glazing technique. The process involves applying an opaque tin glaze to earthenware and painting it with different colored oxides. Matt Glaze ‐ A dull glaze surface, not very reflective when fired. It needs a slow cooling period or it may turn shiny. Mold ‐ A plaster shape designed to pour slip cast into and let dry so the shape comes out as an exact replica of the mold. 35
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Maturing Point ‐ The temperature at which the clay becomes hard and durable. Opaque Glaze ‐ Non‐transparent glaze that covers the clay or glaze below it. Oxidation ‐ Firing with a full supply of oxygen. Electric kilns fire in oxidation. Oxides show bright colors. Peephole ‐ A small observation hole in the wall or door of a kiln. Pinch ‐ Manipulate clay with you fingers in your palm to a hollow shape. Pinch pots are a popular beginners project. Plasticity ‐ The quality of clay which allows it to be manipulated into different shapes without cracking or breaking. Porcelain ‐ White stoneware, made from clay prepared from feldspar, china clay, flint and whiting. Potters Wheel ‐ A device with either a manual (foot powered) or an electric rotating wheel head used to sit at and make pottery forms. Pug ‐ To mix. Pug Mill ‐ A machine for mixing clay and recycling clay. Reduction ‐ Firing with reduced oxygen in the kiln. Rib ‐ A rubber, metal or wooden tool used to facilitate wheel throwing of pottery forms. Satin Glaze ‐ A glaze with medium reflectance, between matt and gloss. Slab ‐ Pressed or rolled flat sections of clay used in hand building. Slip ‐ Clay mixed with water with a mayonnaise consistency. Used in casting and decoration. Slurry ‐ A thick slip. Soaking ‐ Maintaining a low steady heat in the early stages of firing to achieve a uniform temperature throughout the kiln. Stacking ‐ Load a kiln to hold the maximum number of pieces. Stain ‐ Oxide and water, used as a colorant for bisque wear. Stoneware ‐ All ceramic wear fired between 2,100 and 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit. Transparent Glaze ‐ Transmits light clearly. Throwing ‐ Creating ceramic shapes on the potter’s wheel. Vitrification ‐ The firing of pottery to the point of glossification. Wedging ‐ A method of kneading clay to make it homogenous by cutting and rolling. 37
Reading List & Resources
Staschke’s website (www.artdirk.com) is filled with photos of his work, past and present, his academic and philosophical backgrounds, as well as several analytical journal articles concerning his work. Influences Chinoiserie: A European design style reflecting Chinese design, and primarily during the 17 – 18th centuries. It incorporated both actual Chinese design formats and aspects that Europeans fantasized as exotically “Chinese.” Chinoiseries, by B. H. Dams and A. Zega. The authors, architectural historians and working artists, present examples of structural chinoiserie; reconstructions of delightful 18th century historical garden structures influenced by actual Chinese garden design expanded by what Europeans imagined was Chinese design. Each is shown in delicate colored with a background essay regarding its designer’s influences and goals, demonstrating the extravagance, fantasy, detail, and ornament that were design essentials of this movement. Northern European Vanitas Still‐life Painting & Baroque Ornamentation The Art of Describing: Dutch Art in the Seventeenth Century, by S. Alpers. This very interesting book examines the influence of culture, science, and technology on the art of Dutch painters, including Vermeer, Rembrandt and Rubens – evidenced by the major focus on detail and ornamentation in visual design. Dutch masters: the Age of Rembrandt, by W. Kloss. A six‐hour lecture on 17th century Dutch master painters, this explains their artistic influences, philosophies, techniques and connections with both their direct culture as well as that of the broader European interest in things intellectual and scientific. (3 DVDs, from the Great Courses series) English Ceramics: the Frances and Emory Cocke Collection, by the High Museum of Art, Atlanta. While this book focuses on 17th and 18th century English ceramics and the potteries that it made famous, it clearly shows the influence of both the Baroque design ornamentation and chinoiserie that was typical of European design. 38
The Golden Age of Dutch Art, by J. Kiers and F. Tissink. This large, lushly illustrated tome covers the breadth of 17th and 18th century Dutch design. Each section has a short introduction and descriptions of each piece, including examples of chinoiserie and detailed still life arrangements. Still Life: A History, by P. Skira. The book is true to it is title, spanning ancient Egypt to the 1980s, but its focus is the 15th through 18th centuries. Each section has both large color illustrations and essays on the importance of scientific accuracy and detail, as well as aesthetic design, and painting. Taking Shape: Finding Sculpture in the Decorative Arts, curated by M. Droth, Henry Moore & Getty Museums. Why is sculpture usually considered alone, in the gallery, while the decorative arts are usually part of period settings? The authors show that furniture and the fittings of life can be appreciated as unique works. Their essays and design examples document design through the 18th century (the height of the Baroque), and how objects change according to whether they’re viewed together or apart, mobile or fixed, or two‐ or three‐dimensional. The Temptations of Flora: Jan Van Huysum, 1684‐1749, by S. Segal with M. Ellens. This is a wonderfully illustrated paeon to the detailed vanitas still life painting popular in Holland during the 18th century. There are several very good explanatory chapters to go with the color illustrations. Other Artists and Figural Sculpture Bigger, Better, More: The Art of Viola Frey, by D. S. Taragin et al. Frey is a Staschke contemporary, focusing on imaginative and colorful figural sculpture, primarily in ceramics. She, like Staschke, is also a West Coast designer. The Figure in Clay: Contemporary Sculpting Techniques by Master Artists, edited by S. Tourtilott. A survey of nine master ceramists wonderfully similar to Staschke, this contains clear photos on their techniques and productions. There is a good introduction and informative overviews of each artist’s backgrounds and philosophies. 500 Figures in Clay: Ceramic Artists Celebrate the Human Form, edited by V. A. Gunter. This is a wonderful collection of “people” created in a variety of ceramic media by many artists, including Staschke and Frey. A short introduction to the exhibit is included. George Segal, by S. Hunter. This is just one of several pieces on Segal in the library collection. He is known for his plaster or bronze forms of people alone or in groups. The large color illustrations are accompanied by an informative introduction. Henry Moore: From the Inside Out: Plasters, Carvings and Drawings, edited by C. Allemand‐Cosneau et al. Focusing on Moore’s work with the human figure, each chapter represents periods in the artist’s creative life and opens with an informative essay illustrated by relevant artistic works. The Human Form in Clay, by J. Waller. This is similar to Tourtilott’s, The Figure in Clay, above, but focuses on fifteen European designers working in various media. Phillip Levine: Myth, Memory, & Image: Sculpture and Drawings, Museum of Northwest Art, LaConner, WA. Here’s another attractive and informative piece on another well‐known figural sculptor, containing large, clear photos and an introduction by the artist regarding his background, training and philosophies. Rodin: the Hands of Genius, by H. Pinet. This is one of the many books discussing Rodin’s sculpture. While small in size, the text, illustrations and photos concerning Rodin’s influences, techniques and productions are very informative. Get Inspired Food Art: Garnishing Made Easy, by J. Gargone. Connecting with Staschke’s food arrangements, here is a fun piece on how to make some of your own interesting food arrangements. The instructions and photos are very clear. Yummi ‘Gurumi: Over 60 Gourmet Crochet Treats to Make, by C. Haden, M. Sala. Crochet doesn't have to be just blankets and shawls. With over 60 clear and inviting patterns, 'Yummi 'Gurumi covers the full culinary range from sushi platter to fruit salad! 39
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