Form and Function: Corinne Whaley

For my "to light" piece, I have several ideas, although none that I feel are entirely fleshed out yet. Once more, as the ideation for my pieces is going to be a common theme, I have chosen various examples from greek mythology as I continue the conceptual basis of Greek goddesses/daimons. This time, I have selected goddesses which pertain to some form of light.

Artists:

Alberto Giacometti

For the first artist that I researched additionally outside of class, I chose Alberto Giacometti. Although he is well-known and often over used in art classes/spaces as an example, I do love his texture and length/weight that he brings to his metal sculptures. He balances the heavier/weighed parts with thinner pieces of metal, while the texture throughout brings a unity to each piece. I found his work surrounding people/busts especially helpful for my ideation for to light.

Frank Plant:

For the next artist, I chose Frank Plant. More recent in time than the previous example, his work expertly mixes linear elements with flat pieces of steel/iron to create a cohesive whole. The first picture of his work really stood out to me, as the finish pushes the material away from steal into a more colorful, vibrant medium (almost akin to layered paper at a larger scale).

Additional Artist, Luis Jimenez:

Although this is a familiar/silly example, I thought of this sculpture first when considering pieces which incorporated light into the end sculpture piece. The bright color choice of red contrasts with blue and gold of the form, yielding an iconic figure.

For my ideas, we first start off with a rendition which focuses upon Theia, the goddess of light and eyesight. An important figure in Greek mythos, Theia was a titan and known for her ether, a bright blinding blue light. In mythology, she is responsible for our eyesight, the shine of precious metals and anything that glimmers, and of light within the world. According to one of the biggest myths, her eyes emit a beam of light which allows us (humanity) to see all around us. For the piece, I would create a cast bust (unsure of material currently, but potentially metal finish as it pertains to the tale) in which light comes out from her eyes (paying homage to her myth).

Next, we have the theme of Iris, goddess of the rainbow. Inspired by prisms and similar objects, I began brainstorming what different forms of light there were. One of the most awe-inspiring examples I could think of was the rainbow, due to its color and recognizable form in our daily lives. In her story, Iris is the personification of the rainbow and serves as a messenger from one place to the next (like the two ends of the rainbow). I used her form (winged, modest, etc.) and imaged the actual body as a cast object. The light could come from behind her back and dissipate as it goes down her wings (which could be plexiglass with colored portions to replicate the design of a rainbow).

Finally, I chose Selene, who is the goddess of the moon. She is actually the daughter of the first example, Theia, and Hyperion. She is the sister goddess alongside the sun (Helios) and the dawn (Eos). She is known for riding her moon chariot across the sky (as the moon revolves through the night). I was interested in her because her name both means gleam and light, and moonlight is another form of light (in nature). For the sketch concept, I envisioned a moon sort of casting (perhaps a paper or other similar material, which would allow light through it). It would be molded and shaped in a way which leaves a shadow around the form (creating the silhouette of Selene). I thought the idea of the shadow creating her form would work particularly well given how the moon cycle changes with the shadow on the moon.