An investigation of differentiated and undifferentiated modes of making
by Michael Joseph Burke
A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF APPLIED
ART
Montana State University
© Copyright by Michael Joseph Burke (1978)
Abstract:
no abstract found in this volume AN INVESTIGATION OF DIFFERENTIATED
AND UNDIFFERENTIATED MODES OF MAKING
by
MICHAEL JOSEPH BURKEj JR. ■
A thesis submitted-in p a r t i a l f u l f i l l m e n t
o f the r equi rements f o r the degree ■
of
MASTER OF APPLIED ART
Approved:
//IjfcIyMI AffA
Cha ir per son, Graduate Committee
/ m
n .
ft).
Head, Major Department
Graduate Dfean .
MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY
Bozeman, Montana
June, 1978
STATEMENT "OF PERMISSION TO COPY
In p r e s e n t i n g ; t h is t h e s i s , in' p a r t i a l - f u l f i l l m e n t o f the r e q u i r e ­
ments f o r an advanced d e g r e e ' a t Montana S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y , 1 I agree
t h a t the L i b r a r y s h a l l make i t f r e e l y a v a i l a b l e f o r
inspection.
I
f u r t h e r agr ee t h a t permission ' fo r e x t e n s i v e 'copying o f t h i s t h e s i s
f o r s c h o l a r l y purposes' may be granted by my major p r o f e s s o r , , o r ,
h i s absence, . by the D i r e c t o r o f L i b r a r i e s .
It
is understood t h a t
any copying o r p u b l i c a t i o n o f t h i s t h e s i s f o r f i n a n c i a l
not be a ll o we d w i t h o u t my w r i t t e n p e r m i s s i o n . '
Date •
gainshall
in
ARTJiST'S STATEMENTMy work stands by i t s e l f .
I w ill,
h o w e v e r , . address, my se lf t o c e r t a i n
c o ns ide ra ti ons' t h a t . w e n t . i n t o the processes
involved1.
The w o r k . p r e ­
sented has some common elements and d e l i m i t i n g . f a c t o r s : ■ The choice
o f the t u b u l a r form was an i n t u i t i v e d e c i s i o n ; ' i t simply appealed to
me.
The i n h e re nt s tr ength' o f the form and the equal d i s t r i b u t i o n of
s t r e s s . a l l o w e d ' m e t o deal w i t h s p a t i a l
qualities
i n . a way t h a t
I had
not p r e v i o u s l y e x p l o r e d . ' Because I had n o 1ready-made f a m i l i a r s o l u t i o n s
t o f a l l . b a c k on,
I was, in a . s e n s e ,
on sens i b i l i t i e s
that
f or ce d t o be spontaneous and r e l y
I d i d . n o t normal I y c a l l
upon.
The source o f many o f the forms in the show are from e a r l y childhood
memories.
On t he Jer sey coast
in the e a r l y 1920 "'s; systems o f nets
were placed on t h e . c o n t i n e n t a l
ry f o r the seascape p i e c e .
shelf to t r a p . f i s h .
Thi s was the image­
With one. o f t he boat.'forms,
I was t r y i n g ■
to c apt ur e "the f l o w i n g pre ca ri ous nes s o f being a f l o a t on such a my st er ­
ious and powerful element.
Several o f the pieces have r e f e r e n c e to
childhood a r t . ■ Some a re a b s t r a c t i o n s o f a b s t r a c t i o n s ;
they j u s t seemed
t o happen w h i l e working on pi eces t h a t had more c oncr ete r e fe re n ce s
and a re p a r t o f a common continuum.
I t h i n k the common p r i n c i p l e t h a t t i e s t he work t o g e t h e r
abandonment. • Control
p eriential
being t h a t
knowledge t h a t
abandonment is t he f a i t h
al and i n t e l l e c t u a l
I u s e ■e ve r y bit. of t e c h n i c a l
I have about the m a t e r i a l
that
if
commitment,
is c o n t r o l l e d
and ex­
I work w i t h . ■ The
I approach my work w i t h a deep emotion­
it will
be r e f l e c t e d t h e r e i n . ■
LIST OF SLIDES
1.
Unt I t i e d
2.
Unti t i e d '
3.
Peoples ' I
4.
Peoples
II
5: • E a r l y Memory.
6. ' U n t ! t i e d
7. ■ Seascape
8. ■ Gray Weather
9.
Untitled
10.
' Untitled
11 . ■ I n s t a l l a t i o n
I
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