22: Sculptures

 "Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it."

-Michaelangelo

Sculptures are three-dimensional works of art created by shaping and manipulating different kinds of materials, such as stone, metal, wood, or clay. They can take many different forms, including freestanding objects, installations, and kinetic pieces of art.

Wire sculptures that the children made a few weeks ago.

Sculptures are an important form of artistic expression. Because sculptures occupy space, they have a physical presence that can interact with the viewer in a unique way. Unlike two-dimensional works of art, which are typically viewed from a fixed perspective, sculptures can be experienced from multiple angles and perspectives, allowing the viewer to move around and interact with the work in a more dynamic way.

A closer look.

The kindergarteners began the week by unlocking what a sculpture is through investigation, observation, and the help of Sesame Street. 

The word on the street is that sculptures are special pieces of art. So we wandered out of the classroom to find sculptures and to appreciate what's unique and special about them. 

First, we walked around school and looked at the art pieces that the other DSKI students made in their classes. 

We discovered that some art pieces are smaller versions or models of their inspiration, while others are flat on a canvas. 

We continued our walk outside the school and found out that Rokko Island is brimming with beautiful sculptures that are waiting to be discovered. 

 One particular installation truly excited the children as it depicted two peculiar animals.

"What do you see?"

"I see a rabbit" 

"I see a penguin" 

"No, it's a duck." 

"What else do you notice?"

"They're wearing dresses!"

"They have hands."

"Animals don't have hands like that!"

We discovered that there's a title right beside the sculpture, which read Spring by Hiroshi Hayashi, 1997.

"What happens in spring?"

"The flowers bloom!"

"Wait Ms. Pam, spring doesn't have snow. Penguins live in snowy places!" 

"I don't think it's a penguin."

"Then what is it?"

"I think it's a bird. Lots of birds come out in spring."

(Note: There are some species of penguins that live in South America, and have adapted to warmer temperatures. 😄)

We came back to school with a better understanding of what sculptures are, and got ready to make one ourselves. The first medium we chose is clay, which is something that the children are already used to working with. 

Before creating our own sculpture, we refined our fine motor skills by using playdough to recreate and give texture to some of the paintings we know and love. 

Woman with a Parasol -- Madame Monet and Her Son

by Claude Monet

Haruto's Playdough Version

Almond Blossoms

by Vincent van Gogh

Emma's Playdough Version

The Water Lily Pond

by Claude Monet

Koh's Playdough Version

The Scream

by Edvard Munch

Yorinobu's Playdough Version

The Tree of Life

by Gustav Klimt

Clara's Playdough Version

The Son of Man

by Rene Magritte

Kanato's Playdough Version

A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte

by Georges Seurat

Hana's Playdough Version 

The Cafe Terrace

by Vincent van Gogh

Kennosuke's Playdough Version

Bedroom in Arles

by Vincent van Gogh

Sarah's Playdough Version

Henri Rousseau's The Dream

recreated by Frances Broomfield

 Emma's Playdough Version

Sunflowers

by Vincent van Gogh

Ryoichiro's Playdough Version

Starry Night Over the Rhone

by Vincent van Gogh

Tamaki's Playdough Version

The Great Wave Off Kanagawa

by Katsushika Hokusai

Chanin's Playdough Version

Frieda and Diego Rivera

by Frida Kahlo

Zoey's Playdough Version

The Girl with a Pearl Earring

by Johannes Vermeer

Kallea's Playdough Version

What do you think of their sculpting skills? 😃

Our next challenge was to use the same medium to create something 3-dimensional. 

I've used clay for many projects in the past, but the project that I treasure the most is a mold of my grandmother's handprint on air dry clay before she passed away.

I love how the medium allows you to create something tangible that preserves a moment, a story, or a memory. I asked the children to bring their favorite stuffed toy for this purpose: to preserve something that they love in a piece of art that they can see, touch, and appreciate even after they've outgrown the toy itself. After all, they're only 4 or 5 years old once.

Chanin

This is Pinky. Pinky is a dinosaur. She is color pink. 

My brother Chawin bough it. Ilike Pinky very much.

Koh

This is Rizaden. He is a dragon Pokemon. He is color orange, red, yellow, and white. 

I got Rizaden from Mommy. She bought it for me. I like Rizaden very much. 

Clara

This is Holly. Holly is a dinosaur. She is color blue. 

Holly was given to me by Ryoichiro. I like Holly very much.

Emma C.

This is Louis. Louis is a Daddy. He has yellow hair and he is wearing a coat. 

I got Louis from a claw machine. My mom won him for me. I like Louis very much. 

Sarah

This is Sheep. She is color white and green. I borrowed sheep from school. 

I like sheep very much. 

Hana

This is Bunny. She is a rabbit. She is color white. 

My mommy gave Bunny to me when I was a baby. I like Bunny very much.

Kanato

This is Spots. Spots is a whale shark. He is color blue. 

I got Spots from Daddy. I like Spots very much. 

Emma I.

This is Penguin. Penguin is a penguin. She is color green. 

My daddy gave Penguin to me. I like Penguin very much.

Kennosuke

This is Missile. Missile is a Pokemon. His colors are blue, yellow, and black. 

I got Missile from Ashiya.  I like Missile very much. 

Yorinobu

This is Dolphin. Dolphin is a bus driver. He is color white and blue. 

I got Dolphin from Tokyo. My daddy gave him to me. I like Dolphin very much.

Ryoichiro

This is Lakeuza. He is a dragon. His colors green, yellow, red and black. 

I got Lakeuza from Osaka. I like Lakeuza very much.

Haruto

This is Dog. Dog is a teddy bear. He is color blue. 

I got Dog from Mommy and Daddy. I like Dog very much. 

Kallea

This is Unicorn. Unicorn is a unicorn. She has rainbow colors. She was a gift from Santa for my sister Alya. Alya gave Unicorn to me. I like Unicorn very much. 

Tamaki

This is Turtle. She is color green. She always sleeps with me to make me happy. I got Turtle from Santa Claus last Christmas. I like Turtle very much.

(Note: Photos for Kallea and Tamaki's sculptures to follow.)

One of the reasons why artists create art is to express themselves and how they feel. Art allows  for abstract emotions to have a concrete representation. We watched the movie Inside Out to see how the artists in Pixar envision what our emotions look like.

We also revisited some of the books we read about emotions, and how they are depicted in the characters of the stories.

Using the boxes that the children brought to school, they created a 3-dimensional representation of their own monster and how they feel. This time around, we asked for the help of Ms. Harumi to share her expertise in creating piñatas, which is a craft that is deeply embedded in her Mexican heritage. The children practiced their scissor skills as they snipped crepe paper to make the "hair" of their monsters and of course, got messy with white glue too!

 

Look at what they made!

This is Pat. -Haruto

This is Kumbu. -Koh

This is Tight. -Ryoichiro

This is Unicorn. -Emma

This is Lunalala. -Clara

This is Sarah. -Emma

This is Ms. Pam. -Tamaki

This is Ruby. -Kennosuke

This is Chawin. -Chanin

This is Momimonster. -Yorinobu

This is Buddy. -Hana

This is Color Monster. -Kanato

This is Pink Mommy. -Sarah

This is Mommy. -Kallea

What you feel is okay, indeed. In fact, they can even be beautiful.

Aren't they perfect for the celebration of Karneval next week? 😃

Sculptures are indeed special pieces of art. They have the power to evoke emotion -- whether it's awe, wonder, or even joy, sculptures have the ability to make us feel something. Sculptures are also a celebration of beauty. They can inspire us to appreciate the wonder and complexity of the world around us and to help us look at it in different angles and perspectives.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone. 

Let's continue making the world a more beautiful place to live in.

Your Kindergarten teacher, 

Pam