Research paper - Grade: A PDF

Preview

Summary

Research paper - Grade: A / Art 101...

Description

1

Csaba Matko ARTS 101: Research Paper, MICHELLE READER 12/13/2017

2

Michelle Reader is a Nottinghamshire-based artist. Since 1997 she makes unique looking figurative sculptures, statues from recycled materials, found objects. For example a jaguar from satellite dishes and electrical cables, an actual size postman made from junk mails. Whatever goes under her hand, she will turn it to a masterpiece. About her education: She got her bachelor of arts degree in 1997 from De Montfort University which is located in Leicester, UK. From 1999, she went to Loughborough University, UK and studied “Teaching art and design in adult education” until 2000. Then she graduated with a Master degree of Scenography from Central St Martin College of Art and Design, Londod, UK. She felt like moving to London to take her Master degree was a great choice since the university offered potentials in teaching creative techniques of storytelling such as shadow puppetry. Michelle choose this way of art because of environmental concerns such as global warming, wasting resources, pollution and overconsumption of resources. She wants to raise attention in a humorous, non-confrontational way that there is a problem surrounding us. Working with reclaimed materials has both economic and ethical reason, but also she says: “I love the unpredictability of found materials and enjoy the inventiveness necessary to transform them into a sculpture,”, in other words she just loves to explore and find stuff and apply her magic on it. She also tries to makes connection in between the materials, the history of the materials, and the finished sculpture. For example: One of the most known of her work is the “Seven Wasted Men” what was made from a month of waste of a family. She makes connections about which figure had what waste, and tells a story with it. She also works as a freelance artist educator in schools and other organizations and inspire people to be creative

3

and see more in an object that they see at the first sight. In her world a phone charger can be anything rather than just a phone charger. She also been hired by companies to create sculptures for campaigns, such as in April 2016, the “Cleaner Thames” campaign entitled ‘Bellyful of Plastic’ this represents a school of smelt and is made from litter found in the Thames, or such environmental projects as the “Enviromall” in 2013 where she was asked to create life-size figure sculptures inspired by mall visitor and made out of the trash collected in and outside of the mall, the figures then were presented in 8 malls across the United Kingdom. Art works:

Figure sculpture: “Off the hook” Seated figure sculpture made from recycled materials including holiday brochures, old diaries, aluminium cans, plastic bags and a used shop mannequin. 2010

Wildlife: “ELK”

4

“A small sculpture made from aluminium cans. For Rexam Beverage Can Europe. “ Dimensions: 30 x 20 x 20 cm. 2008.

Interactive installations and mechanical works: “WOMAN WITH THE MEANS TO ESCAPE FROM SUDDEN DANGER”

“A small mechanical sculpture made from found objects including the internal workings of an alarm clock and parts from second-hand toys.”

Dimensions 52 x 31 x 28cm.

Corporate commissions: “BLACK CAB MADE FROM COFFEE CAPSULES”

5

“Michelle created this sculpture of a black cab from upcycled aluminium coffee capsules. Used coffee capsules were cleaned, crushed and stitched together onto a framework made from found objects and plywood cutouts. The sculpture was created in Nespresso's Regent Street store for International Recycling Day. The aim of the project was to educate customers about the ways in which the coffee capsules can be recycled. A short film was made of the process, using time lapse footage filmed in store.” May 2017 I picked this artist because I can relate to her work at some point. I often find myself browsing my room trying to make decoration from my unused things, for example once I built a beer can castle in the corner of my room. Obviously it is not the same level as her work, but I enjoyed the time I spent creating something that I would have thrown away otherwise. I also agree her views of environmental issues, and I like the way she communicates through art, and I am amazed by the works she made. Sources: http://www.artworksproject.com/docs/bla-mr.html http://shadowsculptures.altervista.org/michelle-reader/ https://www.axisweb.org/p/michellereader/#info http://www.michelle-reader.co.uk/...