Clarissa Gregory
3D Design: Weeks 7 - 10
Assemblages, Found Object Art
Topics Covered
 Introduction to Assemblages
 Marcel Duchamp’s Bicycle Wheel + Stool
 Group Assemblages Parts A, B & C
Assemblage Exercises In Class:
Part A
1. Display your 12 Found Objects
2. Walk around the room & observe objects others have brought
3. Select ONE object of someone else’s and pair it with ONE object of your own
(impermanent attachment)
4. Take note of and record: What associations are implied by the pairing of these
two objects? How are they similar? How are they different? Establish the
relationship between the two: do they cancel each other out; create tension, friction,
harmony…? Explore the most dynamic orientation/placement of the two objects
(avoid simply setting them side-by-side)
5. Share observations with the group
Part B
1. Split into Groups of 3
2. Observe the 12 objects each person in your group brought into class.
3. As a group, select 16 objects (out of your 36 found altogether) +PLUS 1 object
found inside our classroom, making your selection of 17 objects purposeful and well
considered *see ITEMS TO CONSIDER below…
4. Create an Impromptu Assemblage with these 17 objects (impermanent
attachment, yet somewhat stable – self-supporting)
5. Present creation to class addressing the whys & hows of your group design
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ITEMS TO CONSIDER
when choosing the most dynamic combination of 17 Objects:
Do the Colors vary? Natural Color (wood grain), Applied Color (spray-painted object), Removal of
Color (aging, flaking paint)
Does the Light vary? Indoor, outdoor lighting (lamp, colored bulb); Reflective surfaces (mirror)
Do the Textures vary? Implied—the textures on the surface are artificial, suggesting tactility. Actual—
the textures on the surface can be felt and change over the course of the object; the surface physically
changes & can be described by touch as: fluffy, rough, silky…
Are the Proportions/Scale varied? Are all 17 objects relatively the same size? What are the
proportions of your assemblage? Consider the best location for it to live: the table, the floor, the wall… What
other forms are implied by the proportions or orientation of the assemblage? A landscape, a human figure…?
Do the History of the Objects vary? What is the meaning, context, and history of your object(s)?
What were their original functions? If utilitarian, how is the original purpose altered in this recontextualization? Is its function manifested in its form? How does the change you apply to your object(s),
the orientation, color, scale, etc. effect the viewer’s interpretation of it?
Part C
1b. Your Group adopts & reworks another group’s 17-object assemblage for a new
creation and interpretation
CONTINUE OUTSIDE OF CLASS ON YOUR OWN:
-Project #5 Cinema 4D and collect objects & brainstorm ideas for Project #6
*READING on Rauschenberg: Ideas Have Elbows by Susan Davidson
Clarissa Gregory
3D Design: Weeks 7 – 9
Project #6: Assemblage
Selecting found objects to create a unified, dynamic sculpture
DUE: Thursday, October 31st
Do some research and investigation on found objects, conducting several experiments
to alter the original surface, scale, color and lighting. Bring in more found, scrap
objects AND light/color options (spraypaint, acrylic, lamp, colored lights etc.)
NEXT THURSDAY, October 17th for the purposes acquainting yourself with the
many tools and equipment we have, manual and electric (hand-held saw, mitor saw,
sandpaper, sanding belt, nail gun, drill, hammer & nails etc.)
What happens if I scrape a brand new, shiny red bucket against the cement?
Does an old, rotten tennis shoe painted pepto-bismol pink or metallic gold transform it
into something new or appealing?
How can I create a “furry” soft feeling to an objects’ surface without using actual fur?
What happens when I pair something store bought with something found, or when I
juxtapose something man-made with something nature made?
Can I illuminate my objects from within the assemblage or without?
Project #6 is your hand-selected assemblage of a minimum of 21 objects. Look back to
ITEMS TO CONSIDER when choosing the most dynamic combination of 21 Objects.
Unlike our in-class project, these will not be impromptu, but rather planned
compositions with time and energy spent creating a hand-manipulated, stable and
harmonious sculpture. They must be FOUND, found in a junk yard, found on the
sidewalk, found in your home; they can be natural objects or manufactured. They could
also be older and newer versions of the same object. For instance, you could include an
old scraggly wire rake with a broken handle vs. a plastic new rake that’s 1/5 the scale.
Whatever 21 objects you choose, you must PHYSICALLY ALTER the surface, color, size
or lighting etc (cut, bent, broken, sanded, nailed, melted, squashed, painted, carved into and
on & on). We want to see the visible energy expended on your series of objects. Take into
consideration the Elements of Art and Principles of Organization/Design when
organizing, attaching, and unifying your assemblage.
ASK YOURSELF how you might UNIFY your 21 objects:
Do they need to be created in separate components and reassembled on site?
Though the majority of the design must be stable and attached more permanently, are
there some elements that could be installed on site? For instance, one can hardly begin to
maneuvor a 10 x 10 x 10’ sculpture – that’s too unwieldly – so consider breaking up the
whole design into a few key components that can come together for the final display
What attachment methods might best hold and connect the objects together? nails, screws,
wire, hot-glue, wood glue, rope . . .
Project #6 REQUIREMENTS:
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21 found objects
stable and more permanently attached
at least one light source or reflective surface
11 of the objects must be physically altered in visible way (see long list above)
harmony/unity among objects