Development of Sculpture for Functionality: An Exploration with Terracotta in the Landscape

Development of Sculpture for Functionality: An Exploration with Terracotta in the Landscape.

ABSTRACT 

The history of sculpture from time reveals the use of varied materials as well as its utility for a multitude of functions; amidst this too is the contentious issue of the varied spaces in which sculpture is placed.

However, there was a glaring trend since the prehistoric period of the close affinity of sculpture with architectural spaces which seemed to have placed a kind of limitation on the freedom of sculptors as well as the choice of space for sculpture.  

On the contemporary scene, while it is known that sculptors in Europe and America have been able to liberalize the choice of spaces exploring with a wider range of industrial methods and media, there continued to be a noticeable trend, within the Nigeria landscape, that sculptures continued to be entwined within architectural spaces. 

Worst still, terracotta as a material for sculpture has continued to be used only for works meant for the four walls of archy spaces, this is despite the use of more fragile materials, like glass for sculpture in the open landscape.

The objective of this project was, therefore, to produce a terracotta sculptures for the landscape in public spaces, to be touched, walked through or stayed in temporarily.

Essentially relying on real models, diagrams and illustrations adapted to suit the intended functional purposes, the method used was largely based on empirical observation and studio experiments. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. i
Declaration .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ii
Certification .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. iii
Dedication .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. iv
Acknowledgement .. .. .. .. .. .. .. v
Abstract .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. vii
Table of contents .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. viii
List of plates .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. x

CHAPTER 1: BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
1.1 Introduction… .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem.. .. .. .. .. .. .. 5
1.3 Objectives of the Study.. .. .. .. .. .. .. 6
1.4 Scope and Delimitation of the Study.. .. .. .. .. 6
1.5 Justification of the study.. .. .. .. .. .. .. 6
1.6 Significance of the study.. .. .. .. .. .. .. 6

CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF RELEVANT LITERATURE AND WORKS
2.1 Introduction .. .. .. .. .. 7
2.2 Review of Relevant Literature .. .. .. .. .. 7
2.3 Review of related works.. .. .. .. .. .. .. 18

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 47
3.2 Procedure .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 47

CHAPTER 4: CATALOGUE OF STUDIO WORKS
4.1 Catalogue of Studio Works .. .. .. .. .. .. 54

CHAPTER 5:FINDINGS, SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Prospects .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 67
5.2 Problems .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 67
5.3 Summary .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 68
5.4 Conclusion .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 69
5.5 Recommendations .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 69
References .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 71 

INTRODUCTION  

The has a of functionality as well as that of the of the space it occupies or its ; two options are clearly : the interior space and the exterior landscape.

Within the interior, it may be enclosed in the inside spaces of buildings, or in dingy rooms of an underground burial chamber, or better still, meant to be concealed in the body space of a carrier who tucked it away under the dress. 

For the open-air landscape, it may mean sculpture of the open arena in the public spaces, site-specific locations, and contextual spaces. An initial reference to the function and functionality of the many ancient flint stone implements of the pre-historic man puts the story of sculpture in the right perspective. 

To tell the same story of contemporary sculptures in the open landscape, one needs to mention the protracted romance between sculpture and architecture since the period of the prehistoric cave dwellings.

According to Janson (1973), the first known pictures and sculptures were done on walls of caves by people who lived in caves. The functions of such etched or engraved sculptures, according to Gilbert and McCater (1988) were “to exert control over the forces of nature”,

the environment where the works were placed, and the restriction of such placement to the interior being in line with their condition of living, availability of the material surface and function. 

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StudentsandScholarship Team.