The movie Proteus was a fascinating endeavor into the artwork and research done by Ernst Haeckel from the mid 19th century to the early 20th century. Before watching the movie and doing the project, I had no idea about Radiolarians. It is a very interesting topic given that radiolarians are based off of sea organisms called Proteus. There are some four thousand radiolarians drawn by Haeckel throughout his lifetime. This was also a breakthrough in science at the time, given that before then many thought that life in the ocean below certain depths. The first instance in which evidence of life in the deep sea was found was after the inspection of telegraph cables that were laid on the ocean floor. This sparked huge scientific exploration in the sea, specifically deep sea. Furthermore, it prompted innovation in tools to study the depths. Partly what inspired Haeckel to draw the radiolarians is that he was very entertained by painting landscapes, even going so far as thinking of giving up science to be an artist. However, it is the combination of the two, science and art, that makes Haeckel so special. His ability to depict the radiolarians is very unique and remarkable for his time, further advancing the understanding of the scientific world. Through his work he discovered the Protozoa, which are one celled organisms that function on their own. Before his discovery, such creatures were not believed to exist, nothing made of only one cell. After his discovery, Haeckel further delved into the idea of evolution and was the first to publicly proclaim that humans were related to apes. Now a university professor, he was very famous and was a highly sought after teacher from those all across Europe. Overall, Ernst Haeckel’s contribution to art and science are indisputable and truly display the wonders of nature.
Hayden Pugh – Radiolarian Maquette
Hayden Pugh ArtsXpose #4
Title of Event: Facing the Giant – 3 Decades of Decent
Date and Time: November 30 at 4:30pm
Location: ELC Samek Gallery
Type of Event: Exhibition
Hayden Pugh ArtsXpose #3
Title of Event: The Odette England Exhibition
Date and Time: November 28th at 5pm
Location: Holmes Hall 103
Type of Event: Exhibition
Project 3 Writing Assignment & Drawings – Hayden Pugh
The videos I watched were “Are Crows the Ultimate Problem Solvers?,” “Crow Brings Money for Women After She Feeds Him,” and “Why Crows are as Smart as 7 Year Old Humans.” The videos describe many individual feats made by crows that seem out of the ordinary. In fact, such things as solving eight step problems for food including tools and other implements or bartering with a woman. These aspects show many characteristics about these birds that mostly go unnoticed. One particular action that stood out to me the most is how crows will drop nuts onto crosswalks to let cars crush them open, given that their beaks can not do so.
Thesis – The plan is to allude to the intelligence of Crows, specifically their practice of dropping nuts onto crosswalks, by sculpting one in wearing a uniform of a nutcracker. This way it would combine both human and animal aspects together to describe the cognitive ability and actions of the bird in a visual form.
Hayden Pugh Self Sculpture Collages
Hayden Pugh artsXpose #2
Title of Event: Ashley M. Freeby’s Fragments of (un)sterile soil
Date & Time of Event: Thursday, September 21st at 5pm
Location of Event: Hislop Family Auditorium, Holmes Hall 116
Type of Event: Lecture
Hayden Pugh ArtsXpose #1
Title of Event: Ashley M. Freeby’s Fragments of (un)sterile soil
Date & Time of Event: Thursday, September 21st at 6pm
Location of Event: Holmes Hall 103
Type of Event: Exhibition
Hayden Pugh – Personal Experience
As a 4th grader, over summer break, I joined a Civil War camp in which we would tour battlefields and learn about the incredible struggle that took place in the early 1860s. In particular, we went to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, to walk around one of the most important battlefields of the entire war. Not only was it a very historically intriguing adventure, but also carried a deep and solemn weight knowing that thousands of people died fighting for certain freedoms and ensuring that others could live and prosper. This battle, essentially, decided the fate of the Civil War given that a Union defeat would mean the occupation of Washington D.C. by the confederate army of Northern Virginia, spelling disaster for president Lincoln and the U.S. as a whole. Knowing this it is very exciting to be able to go to the real place and understand the rich events that took place. Since then, I have gone to Gettysburg about five times and am looking to go a sixth sometime soon. It is amazing that such a basic place can hold such great power and significance in the mind just because of what happened there. Ultimately, this trip opened the door to a much larger love for history and the American Civil War and the desire to understand the sacrifices made to keep the U.S. together in the face of incredible challenges.
- Historic
- Intriguing
- Deep
- Honoring
- Exciting
- Solemn
- Remembering
- Incredible
- Pivotal
Hayden Pugh – Another Time Cast Iron Figure
Immediate Response
My initial response to Antony Gormley’s cast iron sculpture from his Another Time series was the expanse of the ocean and the size difference between the life size man and the sea. Furthermore, the choice of Gormley to use iron is interesting given that it will rust and break down faster than other higher end metals that will not rust as fast. The depth of the figure is also intriguing. Why set out the figure in waist high water? Why not neck height or only water at the ankles? Overall, the scene made me feel somewhat at peace, but also lonely. I specifically thought about ships on the open ocean because the rust on the man reminded me of rust on the underside of large freighters or tankers.
Objective Description
The statue is a man made of cast iron, standing on a beach in waist deep water. He is rusted to the point where his color is brown with a tinge of orange. His face has little to no expression and he looks outward to the open ocean, gaze locked on the horizon. At the time of the picture, the water is calm. The statue’s pose is very calm as well with arms at the side, standing tall and straight, with the head up. The chest area has nipple-like points in which it seems that welding or excess metal was cut away. Those same style points can be found in the same location on the back at the tip of the shoulder blades.
Technical Decisions
The craftspersonship of the statue is very interesting given the quality of the surface. The surface of the man seems to be fairly smooth, looking past the rust. There are no obvious dents, cut aways, or significant sculpting concepts that are represented in the piece, aside from the minor nipple detailings. Along with this, the presentation of the statue is fairly simple. The man stands with his back facing land and has an endless stare at the horizon. The posture of the man is also fairly plain, given he is more static and at rest. He is not at attention, nor is he slumped, rather he is simply standing in the ocean. However, these basic concepts added together start to portray a deeper meaning than a man standing on the beach.
The Work in the World
One fascinating connection I came up with while looking at Gormley’s statue was how it slightly resembled the Statue of Liberty in New York. They both stand out in the water, they are both made of metal, both of them have degraded metals, and finally they both represent something deeper than what meets the eye. Of course, the Statue of Liberty stands for freedom and the American dream, while also welcoming many immigrants into the country in the past. The meaning of Gormley’s statue is not quite the same, however. While the Statue of Liberty is very purposeful, the man on the beach seems very random and unplanned. He has no island he stands on or any robes to wear or torch to raise. He is plain.
The Story it Tells
The meaning behind Gormley’s statue on the beach can be interpreted in many ways, however it is in my opinion that he represents loneliness. I came to this conclusion via the previously discussed aspects such as posture, positioning, and other physical attributes he displays. For example, his back is turned towards the beach which portrays the idea that he has no one behind him to look back to. Another characteristic is that his stance is not angry or frustrated, or even happy, rather he is just still, like he is in the moment. His gaze seems to go on endlessly towards the horizon and does not stop short at the water or to examine what is in front of him. This gaze has a longing feeling to it, as if there is something he can not have. Furthermore, the statue’s half submergence in the water rids the viewer from seeing below the waist as to draw more focus to the upper half of the body where the heart and mind are. Lastly, the obvious lack of a companion puts the nail in the coffin, truly tying the idea that Gormley’s statue is all alone, lost at sea.