Edexcel Art and Design Unit 2

The Theme: Encounters, Experiences and Meetings

Chance encounters often provide inspiration for artists and craftworker’s. These spontaneous meetings can act as a catalyst resulting in artistic journeys that produce spectacular artefacts and works of art. Specific people, places incidents or objects can all act as a triggers to effect major changes of direction in an artist’s or craftworker’s career.

Andy Goldsworthy’s site specific sculptures are often a direct response to chance encounters with rocks, trees or other features of the landscape.

Slate arch made over two days, Blaenauffestinog Wales, Andy Goldsworthy 1956 Slate arch made over two days, Blaenauffestinog Wales, 1982

Bernard Leach 1887-1979 Bernard Leach’s meeting with Japanese potter shoji Hamada completely transformed his approach to ceramics and resulted In a major resurgence of interest in studio pottery during the 20th century.

Bernard Leach 1887-1979 'Tree of life' dish 1923 Remember to think carefully (clarification) about the theme. Do not go for the obvious connection of making a ceramic piece with Japanese images on it. Think of aspects of the 2 cultures ,or any cultures, that combine or share ideas. For example the introduction of linear perspective ,a western European mathematical system, to Eastern countries and artists. Then the influence Japanese art had on artists such as Van Gogh and Monet. 'Tree of life' dish 1923

Not all encounters are the result of chance, however Not all encounters are the result of chance, however. Artists will often intentionally place themselves in situations that will inspire their creativity. It is not uncommon for them to take an equivalent of the Grand Tour to experience the visual wonders of the world. On a more modest scale many simply expose themselves to distinctly contrasting environments such as the artist John Virtue, who after extensively using the surrounding landscape of a small village in Lancashire moved to London to explore the cityscape.

John Virtue 1947

John Virtue 1947

Conversely, some artists after years of working in towns and cities, escape to isolated countryside and moorlands to seek fresh inspiration.

War Artists Inspiration can come from various sources such as war photography or text. The War poets such as Wilfred Owen, Siegfried Sassoon and Rupert Brookes can be used as a sources to explore and investigate War artists are not always prepared for the experiences they encounter on the field of battle. Some of the most haunting images of the battlefield of France in world war 1 were captured by the artist Paul Nash

Paul Nash 1889-1946 Ypres Salient at Night

Paul Nash 1889-1946 The Mule Track 1918

Paul Nash 1889- 1946 The Battle of Britain 1941

Dramatic Changes in familiar environments can often shock and inspire artists. Encountering the demolition of a familiar landmark or the placing of an obstruction or intrusion on the landscape can instigate a powerful creative response. The placing of Antony Gormley’s giant sculpture The Angel of the North produced both positive and negative responses from the local population.

Antony Gormley The Angel of the North

Antony Gormley The Telegraph The Angel of the North Antony Gormley Gateshead, 1998 Since it was unveiled on Valentine's Day in 1998, an estimated 90,000 people a day have seen Gormley's Angel of the North, making it Britain's most famous piece of public art. Standing on the site of an old colliery in Gateshead, the towering steel sculpture pays tribute to the industrial heritage of the North East.

Here are some Further suggestions generated by the theme that might inspire your journey. Examiners’ report: ‘where direct observation is encouraged, outcomes tended to be stronger’. Try to think of ways of incorporating primary observation into developing your ideas. This could be through direct observation or taking photographs yourself relating to the theme Examiners’ report: ‘weak responses focused on the theme in the simplest terms with heavy reliance on secondary source material’

Eve’s meeting with the serpent in the Garden of Eden. How could you try to avoid relying on second hand sources when working on ideas based on these images? Genesis : Expulsion from Paradise; marble bas-relief by Lorenzo Maitani on the left pier of the façade of the cathedral; The Garden of Eden, Earthly Paradise, 1480-1505 Hieronymus Bosch 1450-1516

Paris’s encounter with Helen of Troy. Helen at Troy, Helen and Alexandros (Paris)

The meeting of the battle of Thermopylae between the immense Persian army and 300 Spartan warriors.

The encounters between European explorers, conquerors and Native Americans. Aztecs Columbus meeting with Native Americans

Fleming's accident with an unknown mould which turned out to be penicillin. (1881-1955)

Around 1439, the meeting of paper and inked movable type in the workshop of Johannes Gutenberg. Johannes Gutenberg's printing of a Bible from movable type

The meeting between Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin at Yalta, 1945. Sand Sculpture: Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin at Yalta in 1945.

Close encounters of the third kind Though the PowerPoint is here to offer guidance to ideas and suggests a wide range of sources you need to focus on narrowing your ideas to allow you to explore it fully so pick an approach that you know will keep you interested and offer you the chance to develop and make changes to so that you create a strong, personal and imaginative outcome.

Television, radio, talking to friends, lectures, lessons, sermons. Examiners’ report: ‘many candidates would have benefited from narrowing down their final ideas sooner, so that they could have achieved sustained investigation and development towards the final outcome.’

Summit, Club, Office, Society, Annual general and Race meetings

‘Oh, East is East, and West is West, and never the Twain shall meet…’(The Ballad of East and west, Rudyard Kipling 1865-1936)

Art and Design met in the philosophy and approach of the Bauhaus, both were enhanced and changed by the encounter.