Grad student presents iron pour exhibit |
Melinda Hawkins |
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Sculpture graduate student Andrew Marsh is showcasing the social art of iron pouring. Marsh will present his master of fine arts sculpture exhibit, and it will continue through Friday. The smaller pieces in Marsh's exhibition will be on display in the New Wagner Art Gallery, which is off the atrium lobby of the Art and Design Building. Larger sculptures will also be on display in the plaza between the Art and Design Building and the Engineering Building. Marsh described the theme of this exhibition as a retrospective of performance sculpture, related to the process of casting and sharing the context and interaction. The arduous iron casting process has a heavy influence on Marsh's work because of both the social and performance aspects. Also influencing his work are the ideas of human extremes and the sociopolitical dynamics found in schools. "Extremes and balance, like the balance between life and death and the balance between love and hate ,continually appear in my work," Marsh said. "As a Gemini, these extremes affect my personality and the way I view the world. For example, in an iron pour, I have to find a balance between the inherent danger of the process and the enjoyment I get from doing it." Working with iron also involves a social performance, with respect that it cannot be done without the participation of others. "My work is inspired by the desire to approach art making from a different point of view," Marsh said. "Rather than cloistering myself in my studio, I approach it more like a thespian or a musician would. The interaction between the performers and the viewers is an integral part of the work." Marsh said iron pouring requires a community effort. "No man is an island, and to work with molten metal you need a lot of cooperation," he said. "This sense of an artistic community cooperating is a model for a larger social commentary, and that social commentary is reflected in my work." Marsh also creates work that seeks to combine the aesthetics of his art with function. "The whole idea of the way I build sculpture and tooling to fulfill a functional need incorporates not only who is using it and what it will be used for, but also the need to balance the aesthetic qualities of pieces as works of art," he said. Marsh said he hasn't had time to think about graduating. "This work is exhausting, but it's sort of like putting on a rock concert," he said. "You practice your performance until you've got it down and then you get the enjoyment of the performance and interaction with the audience." An induction iron pour will be at noon Friday. The casting demonstrations will be in the sculpture area at the Art and Design Building. A closing reception will be at 6 p.m. in the lobby. New Wagner Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call 650-3071. | |