Bea Moritz

           My sculpture is a depiction of a human figure influenced by both modern abstract art and classical sculpture. The form is a heavily simplified version of a Greek or Roman sculpture. I chose to do  shortened arms based on the fact that those sculptures often had arms or other pieces fall off over time. I was interested in creating something classical yet modern: in many ways the body is very abstract with holes and strange curves, but some elements such as the head and arms resemble classical sculptures. I intend for the white surface to evoke both plaster casts and marble sculptures which we experience stripped of the colourful paint they once had. The simplified facial features reflect several influences: plaster casts from Pompeii, Henry Moore’s more abstract heads, and some of the other ancient art that inspired Moore.

                   My initial idea was to make a clay sculpture in the style of Henry Moore. I sketched several possible designs. Many of them were inspired by figures that Moore was able to create in bronze. For example I was interested in human like abstractions that tapered down to the ground such that they balanced on rather narrow bases. From going to the AGO and seeing many of Moore’s works there I knew that he had used a variety of styles. My intention from the beginning was to make a piece reminiscent of his more simplified and “classical” sculptures.    

                   Two things happened as the project progressed. First, I became interested in drawing on more of my own experience of classical sculpture. To some extent, Moore inspired me to go in this direction through his sculpture Warrior with Shield, a copy of which is in the AGO. But my own studies in Latin also played a role. I’ve been interested in Pompeii since I was little and am currently studying Latin through a textbook which depicts life in Pompeii right at the time that it was destroyed. Second, I had to adapt to working with clay as my medium. Henry Moore’s pieces were usually made as plaster casts and then as finished bronze sculptures. Plaster and Bronze are both much more sturdy than clay. I can see now how important the properties of these materials were to some of the effects I had planned to emulate such as holes and curves, and large forms balancing on narrow bases. As I worked with the clay, I discovered that it did not hold shape in a way that would support creating exactly the form I had sketched. I ended up further simplifying my design. The challenges I experienced in modeling the clay partly led to a final form that incorporated more of the inspiration of the Pompeii plaster casts.  

                 In this project, I challenged myself to work in a new medium. I’m pleased by the extent to which I was able to create a finished piece that reflects my original vision. At the same time, I think what I’ve done well in this project is to let my work be open to additional inspiration both from other pieces of art and from the medium itself. I had to troubleshoot several problems, such as my sculpture cracking and my having to rethink how my sculpture would stand up. In retrospect I would like to have learned more about the capabilities and limitations of sculpting in clay earlier in my process. This would have enabled me to make designs better suited to the medium.

              From this project, I’ve developed a greater knowledge of using clay. I think I could use the strategies I have learned for other clay projects in the future. For example, I learned about using internal supports. However, I started using them late in the process. In a similar way, I know now that I could have added more water to my clay to smooth it out and reduce cracking. While some of my problem solving contributed to the feel of a piece that I’m happy with, I am also interested in looking into more techniques for using clay. More broadly, by both imitating the style of an accomplished sculptor and the appearance of the Pompeii plaster casts I learned about using the human figure as a starting point. I’d like to apply this to future projects in which I could continue exploring the human and the abstract and developing my own style.