Geometric-Organic︎︎︎
Geometric Forms
The first concept is that of geometric shapes. We typically characterize them as man-made, i.e. created by artists using light and modeling techniques. While trying to paint or draw a realistic image, artists must study the impact that light has on objects in order to create an illusion of form. The “highlight” area is the part where the light source is hitting the object directly. Then there is the core shadow area which refers to the area of the object that falls underneath the shadow of other objects.
These forms had a huge impact on the development of avant-garde and Abstract art, most notably, Cubism. The movement acquired its name and rose to prominence as the most innovative phase of 20th-century art because of the ubiquitous use of the cube in countless works of art.
Organic Forms
Organic shapes, on the other hand, have breadth, length, and height but are neither angular nor precise in structure. They depend more on chance and principles that many people attribute to natural laws. They are more free and unpredictable, and no biological form can be an exact duplicate of the other. These organic shapes were critical in the development of abstract art. Organic forms also had a huge impact on architectural styles and art movements such as Art Nouveau. Organic form also plays an important role in styles such as Expressionism, where contorted forms are used to convey and evoke emotion.
The first concept is that of geometric shapes. We typically characterize them as man-made, i.e. created by artists using light and modeling techniques. While trying to paint or draw a realistic image, artists must study the impact that light has on objects in order to create an illusion of form. The “highlight” area is the part where the light source is hitting the object directly. Then there is the core shadow area which refers to the area of the object that falls underneath the shadow of other objects.
These forms had a huge impact on the development of avant-garde and Abstract art, most notably, Cubism. The movement acquired its name and rose to prominence as the most innovative phase of 20th-century art because of the ubiquitous use of the cube in countless works of art.
Organic Forms
Organic shapes, on the other hand, have breadth, length, and height but are neither angular nor precise in structure. They depend more on chance and principles that many people attribute to natural laws. They are more free and unpredictable, and no biological form can be an exact duplicate of the other. These organic shapes were critical in the development of abstract art. Organic forms also had a huge impact on architectural styles and art movements such as Art Nouveau. Organic form also plays an important role in styles such as Expressionism, where contorted forms are used to convey and evoke emotion.
︎︎︎from Acrylgiessen.com
Welcome to mapping collaboration, a toolbox for workshopping and creating across disciplines...
In spite of a long history of interdisciplinary creation, from our earliest recorded arts to our present moment, artistic pedagogy has created divisions between disciplines. This has left artists in a "post-Babel" condition where we don't share the same language and definitions. It’s also encouraged artists to develop practices for devising, creating and composing work that are distinct to their disciplines.
In spite of a long history of interdisciplinary creation, from our earliest recorded arts to our present moment, artistic pedagogy has created divisions between disciplines. This has left artists in a "post-Babel" condition where we don't share the same language and definitions. It’s also encouraged artists to develop practices for devising, creating and composing work that are distinct to their disciplines.
The inspiration for this project came from faculty and students at Simon Fraser University’s School for the Contemporary Arts where BFA, MFA and PhD programs in Dance, Theatre Production and Design, Visual Art, Film, and Music and Sound all work together in studio settings and playfully experiment with processes of art-making.
We wanted to create a database of projects, assignments and theory that we collect inside the studio and from research happening in other places. We are curious about how we collaborate and how structures reoccur, translate and deviate from one discipline to another.
Composition is central to these processes and offers a base for our approaches and experiments. We are excited about what our students are doing and inspired by the new languages in contemporary art and performance we continue to see develop.
︎︎︎select a category above to build assignments, learn more about how artists process ideas across disciplines and to create a collaborative process of your own
︎︎︎these tools are collected and used in workshops and classes; some are resources from artists; some are quotes about art-making and how bodies think and listen; others are ideas to expand and disrupt your own training and processes.
︎︎︎Each idea is intentially short- and not meant to be executed as written, but to be adapted to your own practice and specific project/context. Some may be taken in parts or combined with others to spark new ways of training and making together.
︎︎︎submit your own ideas and tools so we can keep building this site!
︎︎︎select a category above to build assignments, learn more about how artists process ideas across disciplines and to create a collaborative process of your own
︎︎︎these tools are collected and used in workshops and classes; some are resources from artists; some are quotes about art-making and how bodies think and listen; others are ideas to expand and disrupt your own training and processes.
︎︎︎Each idea is intentially short- and not meant to be executed as written, but to be adapted to your own practice and specific project/context. Some may be taken in parts or combined with others to spark new ways of training and making together.
︎︎︎submit your own ideas and tools so we can keep building this site!
