Four Cubes
In this project you will make 4 distinct cubes. Each cube will be a different material, structure and concept. You should consider each of these categories for each cube, and no category should be repeated. Question how each of these things relate and influence each other; where are the overlaps? Which combination of structure and concept cause tension? How can material + structure= concept? Where do cubes exist already and how can I use them?
Some possibilities include:
Materials: paper, Styrofoam, wood, string, wire, sound, light, trash, found objects, etc.
Structure: open, closed, planar, linear, volumetric etc.
Concepts: collapsing, expanding, narrative, dangerous, quiet, transformative etc.
Elements of design: line, space, form, light, color, time, texture
The keys to this assignment include material experimentation and variety in category. Make sure to collect materials promptly, as in-class time will not be used to gather materials. The finished cubes can be any size. They may also be site specific, installation, hanging, static, temporary or any combination of these. Materials can be found at Lowe’s, thrift stores, junkyard, dumpsters, and in nature. Be creative with your source of materials, and more interest will follow. Stay away from “artsy” materials, unexpected solutions are a better goal.
Cube 1
Construct a 12” x 12” x 12” implied cube using only cardboard and hot glue. There should be no cardboard plane that is parallel with any of the 6 implied planes of the cube. Use tab and slot construction or edge-to-face gluing to build your cube, and the final product should be free standing and self-supporting. Give yourself a goal: What is the minimum amount of cardboard needed to complete the objective? The largest amount possible? Make a minimum of 3 models and document these.
Cube 2
Cast Cube- Find or construct an implied cube mold. What hints will the impressions left by the mold give to the viewer about how it’s made? We will demo some possibilities in class.
Cube 3
Cube 3 is a virtual or non physical cube. Can you use light, sound, or some other non-physical material to “make” a cube? What about performance? What would a psychic cube “look” like?
Cube 4
Construct a cube out of a material of your choice. The material should be able to be glued together and cut with a the tools we have studied so far. Be surprising with your choice of materials, what is the least rigid, cube-like material you can find? What is the least cube like form that can be mashed into a cube? Can you combine the process of collecting materials into the conception of the cube?
Some student examples:
