Assemblage Task

Year 8 Visual Arts

2014
Rationale: 8VA Unit Surfn Turf
This unit builds upon concepts and ideas learned in Year 7 Visual
Arts, but begins to extend the students understanding of what is art.
Students continue to investigate their world as a source of ideas
through the exploration of realism and then slowly transitioning to
abstraction, with a particular focus on assemblage. Students explore
the artist practice of Australian assemblage artist Robert Klippel, and
use his practice as a means to explore their own. Students are
provided with the opportunity to use a vast array of mediums, from
the more traditional materials such as pencils and charcoal, to the
more contemporary artmaking mediums as found objects. The Surf
aspect of the unit enables students to undergo a study of the marine
environment. 2D skills are further developed through an exploration
of chalk pastels and ink works in the style of John Olsen and Ernie
Gerzabek. Ceramic skills are also extended through the investigation
of more challenging techniques. These techniques are applied to an
abstract ceramic sculpture inspired by Merrran Esson, Heather
Knight and Vipoo Srivilasa. Students will engage in a research task
that aims to develop their understanding of abstraction and the
artmaking practice of artists. They will be provided with a scaffold to
guide their research, and will need to use this research to guide their
own artmaking practice.
Introduction to the unit: Realism- What is it?

Portraying the world as it is: Explore artist like Chuck
Close and Still Life drawing.
Firstly, students attempted realistic drawings, using
objects around them in the class room and at
home.
Student Samples
Drawing:
Explore the concept, What is Art and Who determines what
art is?

Other concepts include moving away from the traditional
forms of artmaking, such as drawing and beginning to look at
sculpture and the idea of found objects and ready mades.

Artist of interest: Marcel Duchamp
Artist as inspiration for their artist practice:

Robert Klippel- assemblage sculpture
What is assemblage?


Assemblage is an artistic process. In the
visual arts, it consists of making three-
dimensional or two-dimensional artistic
compositions by putting together found
objects.

The Assessment Task
This task is made up of TWO parts:

Part 1: Assemblage Piece
You are to bring in an object that you can safely pull apart, preferably something technological in
nature. Some examples include, an old iphone, ipod, cassette player, discman, calculator, old
appliances. Please NO glass or dangerous objects.
Then you are to complete the following steps:
Step 1: Realistic interpretation of object:
You are to realistically draw the object you have brought in. This includes adding areas of
shading and tone. You will also need to photograph your object in its original state/form.
Step 2: Deconstruction of object:
You are to start to pull apart your object using pliers, hammers, screwdrivers and various other
tools. You also need to photograph your object in its various stages of deconstruction.
Step 3: Assemblage of object into its new form:
After you have dismantled your object, you are to use these broken pieces to recreate this
object and give it a new form and purpose. Your object must take on the form of an assemblage
artwork, rather than to function and appear as it once did. You will be provided with additional
materials to enhance your assemblage piece such as wire, glue, rope, string, nuts, bolts, sticks.
(You may also like to bring in your own materials to add into your assemblage piece) You also
need to photograph your assemblage piece in its various stages of reconstruction.
Step 4: Drawing the assemblage piece realistically:
Once you have finished reassembling your object, you are to then re-draw your assemblage
piece as it now appears. You are to also photograph assemblage piece in its new form

Step 5: Drawing the assemblage abstractly:
You are then to re-draw your assemblage piece, but slowly subtract and add elements into your
drawing. Some suggestions include;
Draw your sculpture in 20 seconds.
On top of the drawing you just did, re-draw your sculpture as you see it realistically.
Draw your sculpture with your eyes closed.
Draw your sculpture, then rub away TWO lines.
Draw your sculpture, but rub away TWO shapes.
Draw your sculpture, but add colour onto three of the shapes.
Re-draw using ink
Coverage your page with lead shading and draw your object with an eraser.
Re-draw using charcoal

You are to submit at least TWO of your drawings AND your assemblage piece

Part Two: Artist Practice Analysis

You are to document your artistic practice when forming your assemblage piece. You are to add
in the photographs you take of your object into your Artist Practice Analysis.

You are to write about your assemblage sculpture, focusing on THREE key stages of your
practice. Within these key areas you will be recording the processes you have taken, decisions
you have made, materials you have used, artist intentions and the progress you have made.
The THREE Key Areas/ Sub Headings for your artist practice analysis:
Step 1: Realistic interpretation of object
Step 2: Deconstruction of object
Step 3: Assemblage of object into its new form
You MUST write at LEAST 150 words for each step.

Please see the attached resource: SCAFFOLD for Artist Practice Task- A guide of how you are to
structure your artist practice analysis.
Step 4: Submission: You may submit your artist practice analysis in anyway you wish, however,
you will need to advise your class teacher as to which submission method they will be using.
These may include, PowerPoints, iPad apps, hard copy print out, iMovie etc.

Student work Samples