When guests walk into the Coolidge Art Studio lately, the first questions have been “WHAT are those made out of?” and “HOW are those made?!” The eye-catching work everyone is talking about is from the seventh and eighth grade arts elective class, Life-Size Sculpture. Inspired by the work of American artist Mark Jenkins, students are using an unusual medium–clear packing tape–to create the large, translucent sculptures. Students began the term by investigating how a pose can convey meaning, and then decided on a pose for their self-portrait that reveals an important aspect of their identity. After testing out the process for creating a tape “cast” of their hands, students began working–literally from the ground up–on their final sculpture. Wrapping small segments of their body at a time, the sculptural challenge has turned into a 3D puzzle that requires the artists to connect pieces so they look like a realistic figure. Displayed in front of the large wall of windows in the studio, these works are nearing completion, so keep an eye out for these intriguing sculptures around campus after Thanksgiving!
– Anne Armstrong, visual arts teacher and arts co-coordinator
