Venice Diaries: Ella Jones asks what is a Sculpture?

Ella Jones is the latest CSAD new graduate from the Fine Art progamme to take part in the Arts Council of Wales Cymru yn Fenis Wales in Venice Invigilation Plus programme, invigilating at James Richards’ exhibit at the Wales Pavilion. Ella is also spending time developing her own practice, and here she tells us how the experience is making her think again about her approach to her work:

When making artwork I always have control over what I create to an extent, unless I give my artwork to someone else to make – then they become the artist.

Any decision is a control.

To limit my power to an extent, I could ask questions to others about their thoughts about sculpture, to create an artwork that I may not have imagined. The answers I receive will constrict and guide what I make. To avoid making a familiar piece of work, I won’t ask questions such as “What is the sculpture made of? “ or “What is the subject?”.

This avoids a predetermined image of a sculpture e.g. made of marble, bronze … / subject of a figure, bust, statue.

Instead I’ll ask what it is to be a sculpture e.g. What is a sculpture usually not made of?

By doing this I can create pieces that push the concept of what it means to be a sculpture.

Possible questions:
What material is a sculpture usually not made from?
Can a sculpture have a function?
What is not a usual subject of a sculpture?
What colour is the sculpture?
What does the sculpture contain?
What does the sculpture feel like?
What size is it?
How is it held together?
What tools were used to construct it?