09/01/2009

White Goods



Karin Ruggaber's Relief 67 (2008). Materials: plaster and pigment. Via Greengrassi.



Tightly-fitting network of catametric elements (1961–62). School: Ulm. Student: Klaus Schmitt. Tutor: Tomás Maldonado. Via Ulm Archive.



Eduardo Paolozzi's Kardinal Syn (1964). Materials: plaster and twine. Via Tate.



Thomas Houseago's Large Striding Figure (2007). Materials: Tuf-Cal,hemp, iron, graphite and wood. Via David Kordansky.



Cy Twombly's Untitled (1976). Materials: cardboard tubes, cloth, house paint, paper tape.

'Gypsum is a crystalline mineral of hydrated calcium sulphate (chemical formula CaSO4 • 2H2O). Gypsum is colorless or white, is not highly water-soluble and is not at all hard. A mixture of gypsum and water can be poured; the gypsum hardens as the water evaporates. In art gypsum is mainly used in the partly dehydrated form of plaster of Paris (2CaSO4 • H2O) to make casts of objects or works of art in sculpture (moulds). The process entails making a negative form, of a sculpture, for istance, which is then coated with plaster of Paris. Plaster of Paris models of sculpture were widespread in antiquity and the practie was revived in the Renaissance. From the late 17th century plaster of Paris casts were made for art academy study and model collections (plaster cast collections), which were taken up by museums and art historical and other institutes in the 19th century.' Via Kettererkunst.

6 comments:

riddlywalker said...

Hmm...plaster doesn't set as the water evaporates- it's a chemical reaction as the crystals organise- in fact it creates so much heat that it can drive the water out as steam. (sorry about the pedantic mood today- RW)

YHBHS said...

great collection of plaster images. really impressed by your blog. really finding thomas housego's work amazing.

http://youhavebeenheresometime.blogspot.com/

Peter Nencini said...

Thanks David John- what a blog you have! Will link it, cite it, study it.

Peter Nencini said...

Riddlywalker who are you? I stand corrected on plaster. Your comments bypass pedantry. Too informative for that. Where's your blog??

riddlywalker said...

Your 'where's your blog' question took hold- just started, but at the moment it seems terribly random, and rather that encompassing things that interest me, it just turns into a rant by the end of each paragraph? will send an url later when it's got better.

riddlywalker said...

http://riddlywalker.blogspot.com/
still ranting, obviously too tired to do anything but grizzle. so I may give up for a week or so.........
you can also find my work on http://cltad.arts.ac.uk/groups/foundation3d/