Project Five: Reliquary

Project Five:  Reliquary

Reliquary: 

Webster’s dictionary definition: A receptacle in which a sacred relic or relics are kept.  An expanded definition(via Vince Pitelka): A vessel, holder, altar, or stand for the storage and/or display of a precious and/or sacred object or relic.

Description:

            In this project we will be engaging in the act of collecting.  Your first assignment is to go out and make your own personal “collection” of stuffed animals(these can be cheap thrift store finds).  Have at least 4 or 5 of various sizes by next class.  You will then construct a reliquary that utilizes the elements and principles of design to form a visually powerful composition.  The design of your reliquary must be specific to the object displayed upon or contained within the form.  In other words, there must be some relationship between the design of the reliquary and the object contained within or displayed upon it. The object can be some personal memento or keepsake, some found object of your choice, or you can design and create the object.

Exercise your imagination, and come up with an original and interesting concept.  The inspiration for your reliquary can be anything at all, past, present, or future.  In almost every culture through history we find examples of extraordinary containers for special or sacred objects.

Another part of this project is learning about felting and how to turn wool into felt.

Drawings:

            As part of this assignment you should include ten full-page drawings of ideas.   The drawings can include the object that the reliquary is housing and the reliquary itself.  I will be collecting sketchbooks at the end of the semester for a grade, but I also will come around and check that you have some sketches we can discuss.

Objective:

            To make a piece that interprets the concept of a reliquary appropriate to the object displayed upon or contained within the form, according to the definitions above.  To continue learning to work with different materials and learn to construct visually pleasing sculptures, but also exercise our creative thinking and find effective ways to communicate a message to a viewer.

Materials:

            You are required to use your collection either for as part of the main structure, but you can use other materials of your choice to embellish or interact with the main structure.  Also, the item the reliquary is housing can be anything found or made of your choice.

We will also be learning to make felt beads, and that will be available to you as a material to use.