The Magic Dimension

Description

Between the 40 years I have made sculpture and the 25 years of teaching it a space of understanding has developed. At first it was a haptic command of materials and technique. This gave me tools to understand the history of form across cultures and to our own times. As I taught my experiences and skills gave me confidence to share what I believed in with my students but also to learn from them as I explained what I thought sculpture and form is.

The nature of a space can have great influence on the activities it hosts. Conversely the quality of a space is shaped by the needs required for a particular activity in a field, occupation or practice. So, while plants would benefit from a greenhouse to grow in, full of light and warmth, a surgeon needs the green space of the Operating room to see better in. Similarly, in studio art courses the type of work usually drives the room type – drawing and painting studios benefit from north light, sculpture courses need a shop like space with sturdy workbenches, dust collection and so on.

On first meeting my own studio classes I always refer to the three dimensions of height, width and what I call the “magic” dimension of depth. This is to point out and impress upon my students that spaces and objects always look different as you interact with them offering infinite views because of depth. But in the online space the five senses are reduced to two- sight & hearing leaving taste, smell and equally important for an object maker - touch - out of the experience.

Understanding that restriction, how might a teacher engage students to really develop a sense of three dimensions and create well-made compelling objects in a virtual space?

Interaction

In the digital space of a ZOOM meeting how does the nature of the discipline taught in it get shaped and in return shape that space?

How does the digital two dimensional space of ZOOM mediate the effect of a three dimensional design or sculpture course?

Can we teach students to learn about, understand, and create vital objects and spaces in a two dimensional platform?

Outcomes

I think there are hidden assets and tools in an online making classes that the teaching process will reveal. Some discussion of strategies based on experience( both in class and online) could be correlated and used to best effect in a totally online class.