The Power of the Object | July 22nd – 26th, 2013

 

We live our lives surrounded by a visual language of objects that we recognize and understand to be exactly as they are.  What happens when we put these recognizable objects into different settings or change their materials to shift the balance of what we once thought was so clear?

This workshop employs various methods on how to utilize the history and language of recognizable objects as powerful symbols, as well as how to shift the materials of objects to provide moments of irony and absurdity.  We will be learning a wide range of sculpture making strategies including rubber molds, silicone caulk molds, simple woodworking techniques, and various connective and adhesive strategies throughout the week.

By deconstructing the preconceived notions of what objects represent we are provided an opportunity to use objects as springboards for our ideas and allow them to become a conduit to convey our messages.

BIO

Ryan Carrington currently works as a lecturer at San Jose State University teaching sculpture, foundry, and mold making.  He received his MFA in spatial art from SJSU, and earned his BFA at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in ceramics and woodworking.  Ryan also spent 18 months as an artist-in-residence at the Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Snowmass Village, Colorado, an experience he equates with having as much impact on his art as any of his formal education.

Ryan’s work deals with a wide range of issues that connect labor, class, and economics with his personal history and family.  Using cast and found objects that combine craftsmanship with symbolic irony he is able to communicate his thoughts and life experiences through gallery installations, performances, and site-specific work.