Sixth Grade
Paper Pillars
Pillars of many varieties have been used across cultures and centuries to create memorable spaces, mark significant sites, or symbolize spiritual concepts. From the standing stone circles of our early prehistoric ancestors that may mark burial sites or other spiritual space, to the Egyptian obelisks placed at the entrance to their temples, to the spires of grand churches, and to more modern installations of vertical forms, pillars fall somewhere between sculpture and architecture. Pillars catch our attention through their height and placement. They are meant to tower over us and draw our eyes upward. When grouped together, pillars have more visual and symbolic impact. Their arrangement can be perfectly balanced and orderly, or it can be more haphazard and random.
Some interesting pillars from art history include:
Prehistoric standing stones. Standing stones are large slabs of stone, hewn from local rock, chiseled into a finished pillar (time has worn most of them down somewhat), and placed on end vertically in a circle. Some stone circles, like Stonehenge, suggest a relationship with the movement of the stars and sun with the yearly seasons, while others reveal archeological evidence of sacred burial sites. Whatever they were actually used for, to walk among the long surviving stones is feel transported to another time and place, and to feel of their majestic power.
Egyptian obelisks. These tall pointed pillars were placed at the entrance to their temples and were symbols of the sun god, Ra, representing a petrified ray of sunlight. They were often placed in pairs, but could also be placed singly. Today, the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. is a modern representation of an obelisk.
Cathedral spires. The cathedral of Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain, designed by Antoni Gaudi in 1883 (unfinished for over a century, and finally being finished by the people of Barcelona now), is notable for its many tall and intricate spires. These organic looking pillars (they may even remind you of sand castles) create a memorable visual impact that symbolizes the church's purpose of reaching towards the heavens.
Watts Towers. From 1921 to 1954, Sam Rodia welded a collection of 17 spiraling towers in his backyard in Los Angeles. He also added lots of mosaic tile details as well as many found objects that neighborhood children brought to him. Rodia was not a professional artist, so his towers are considered "outsider" art, and were initially condemned to be torn down in 1955, until art lovers came together to save the installation and make it a historic landmark that can still be visited today.
Urban Light. This large scale installation by Chris Burden was created for the Los Angeles Museum of Art (LACMA) in 2008 using 202 restored street lamps from Southern California in the 1920s and 1930s. Burden collected 17 different styles of cast iron lamps, which are now solar powered and turned on every night at the museum. They are organized in closely set rows, like a forest of lamp trees. The assemblage of pillars provides such a popular place for visitors to take photographs that Urban Light is now considered a Los Angeles icon.
Artists from the past and present continue to be interested in creating pillars, columns, towers, and spires that provide a unique focus of verticality, symbolizing perhaps and uprightness and honesty of form and meaning. They can still inspire us today.
Some interesting pillars from art history include:
Prehistoric standing stones. Standing stones are large slabs of stone, hewn from local rock, chiseled into a finished pillar (time has worn most of them down somewhat), and placed on end vertically in a circle. Some stone circles, like Stonehenge, suggest a relationship with the movement of the stars and sun with the yearly seasons, while others reveal archeological evidence of sacred burial sites. Whatever they were actually used for, to walk among the long surviving stones is feel transported to another time and place, and to feel of their majestic power.
Egyptian obelisks. These tall pointed pillars were placed at the entrance to their temples and were symbols of the sun god, Ra, representing a petrified ray of sunlight. They were often placed in pairs, but could also be placed singly. Today, the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. is a modern representation of an obelisk.
Cathedral spires. The cathedral of Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain, designed by Antoni Gaudi in 1883 (unfinished for over a century, and finally being finished by the people of Barcelona now), is notable for its many tall and intricate spires. These organic looking pillars (they may even remind you of sand castles) create a memorable visual impact that symbolizes the church's purpose of reaching towards the heavens.
Watts Towers. From 1921 to 1954, Sam Rodia welded a collection of 17 spiraling towers in his backyard in Los Angeles. He also added lots of mosaic tile details as well as many found objects that neighborhood children brought to him. Rodia was not a professional artist, so his towers are considered "outsider" art, and were initially condemned to be torn down in 1955, until art lovers came together to save the installation and make it a historic landmark that can still be visited today.
Urban Light. This large scale installation by Chris Burden was created for the Los Angeles Museum of Art (LACMA) in 2008 using 202 restored street lamps from Southern California in the 1920s and 1930s. Burden collected 17 different styles of cast iron lamps, which are now solar powered and turned on every night at the museum. They are organized in closely set rows, like a forest of lamp trees. The assemblage of pillars provides such a popular place for visitors to take photographs that Urban Light is now considered a Los Angeles icon.
Artists from the past and present continue to be interested in creating pillars, columns, towers, and spires that provide a unique focus of verticality, symbolizing perhaps and uprightness and honesty of form and meaning. They can still inspire us today.
Here's a powerpoint that you can use to present this project:
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The Project
PREP - 45 min. this includes time to collect materials, cut scraps if needed, and make a sample.
Print - show pictures above on computer or ipad in media center or the classroom. Just ask the teacher to go to the Art PREP site.
MATERIALS -
-rectangular pieces of cardboard (around 6-8 inches in length x 4-5 inches in width, cut from a box or other scrap piece of cardboard, and they don't all have to be the same, )
-scrapbook paper in simple colors and patterns (to glue on cardboard)
-scrap strips of paper (use scraps in scrap bins near cutting table, long strips in different lengths and widths) need 10 or more per student.
-glue bottles, 1 per student
LESSON
Show students pictures of artwork depicting pillars and structural 3 dimensional elements of art. Bring attention to Burden's Urban Light, which can be seen at The Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Ask if any of the children have seen it, then explain that they can easily visit this great piece of art with their families and kids are free! Go over information from above about different aspects of these pieces of art. Emphasize how pillars of all varieties change the space they inhabit, so we experience that space in a new way.
Tell the students that they will be making small scale pillars projects today. Have them note the different arrangements of pillars from the art history examples, from standing stones in a circle to orderly rows of lamps in Urban Light to the more random organization of the Watts Towers. They should consider how they want to organize their own paper pillars, varying color, height, and placement to suit their personal artistic vision.
Print - show pictures above on computer or ipad in media center or the classroom. Just ask the teacher to go to the Art PREP site.
MATERIALS -
-rectangular pieces of cardboard (around 6-8 inches in length x 4-5 inches in width, cut from a box or other scrap piece of cardboard, and they don't all have to be the same, )
-scrapbook paper in simple colors and patterns (to glue on cardboard)
-scrap strips of paper (use scraps in scrap bins near cutting table, long strips in different lengths and widths) need 10 or more per student.
-glue bottles, 1 per student
LESSON
Show students pictures of artwork depicting pillars and structural 3 dimensional elements of art. Bring attention to Burden's Urban Light, which can be seen at The Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Ask if any of the children have seen it, then explain that they can easily visit this great piece of art with their families and kids are free! Go over information from above about different aspects of these pieces of art. Emphasize how pillars of all varieties change the space they inhabit, so we experience that space in a new way.
Tell the students that they will be making small scale pillars projects today. Have them note the different arrangements of pillars from the art history examples, from standing stones in a circle to orderly rows of lamps in Urban Light to the more random organization of the Watts Towers. They should consider how they want to organize their own paper pillars, varying color, height, and placement to suit their personal artistic vision.
Art Project
1. Show students how you can take a piece of cardboard and scrap strips of paper and create a 3-Dimensional piece of art. Put names on the back of the cardboard.
2. Show students how to think about where they will place the different pieces of paper they have chosen for their artwork. Their art can look like something, or just be abstract.
3. Show students how to roll the paper tightly and then place a small puddle of glue to push the paper spiral into.
4. Remind them that they SHOULD NOT pick up their piece of cardboard while they are creating their art, or the pieces of paper may fall off. Once the spirals sit overnight, they will be completely dry.
5. The paper spirals can be hung on the wall or ceiling for a great looking art installation!
*please put any unused scraps back in the scrap bins. Throw any used or small scraps away!
1. Show students how you can take a piece of cardboard and scrap strips of paper and create a 3-Dimensional piece of art. Put names on the back of the cardboard.
2. Show students how to think about where they will place the different pieces of paper they have chosen for their artwork. Their art can look like something, or just be abstract.
3. Show students how to roll the paper tightly and then place a small puddle of glue to push the paper spiral into.
4. Remind them that they SHOULD NOT pick up their piece of cardboard while they are creating their art, or the pieces of paper may fall off. Once the spirals sit overnight, they will be completely dry.
5. The paper spirals can be hung on the wall or ceiling for a great looking art installation!
*please put any unused scraps back in the scrap bins. Throw any used or small scraps away!
Citations:
- Thegaretwiscombe, Stonehenge. www.flickr.com, https://www.flickr.com/photos/garethwiscombe/1071477228/in/photostream/
- Phillip Rupert Acott, Stonehenge 1877. www.wikipedia.com, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonehenge#/media/File:Stonehenge_1877.JPG
- Kurohito, Karnak – Salle hypostyle 2008. www.wikipedia.com, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Karnak-Hypostyle3.jpg
- Steve F- E- Cameron, Karnak Temple at Luxor 2006. www.wikipedia.com, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SFEC_EGYPT_KARNAK_2006-008.JPG
- C Messier, View of Sagrada Familia from Placa de Gaudi, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, August 2017. www.wikipedia.com, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%CE%A3%CE%B1%CE%B3%CF%81%CE%AC%CE%B4%CE%B1_%CE%A6%CE%B1%CE%BC%CE%AF%CE%BB%CE%B9%CE%B1_2941.jpg
- SBA73 from Sabadell, Catalunya, Sagrada Familia nave roof detail 2011. www.wikipedia.com, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sagrada_Familia_nave_roof_detail.jpg
- Alvesgaspar, Interior of Sagrada Familia Cathedral, Barcelona, Spain 2015. www.wikipedia.com, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sagrada_Familia_March_2015-18a.jpg
- Megan Westerby, Watts Towers 2009. www.flickr.com, https://www.flickr.com/photos/meganwest/4654701849/in/photolist-86jyGa-7BtccJ-7jkDZR-7jpx47-2GS3Gy-6qz5zh-98RxfJ-9R3LYz-7tRxAC-7jkFep-9niApM-6quUYa-4syEw2-7jpzrG-6qz4LA-86nJmq-7jkG8r-6R1p9h-fPnmdr-225XETR-7jkDuD-7jpmXd-98RCAo-6qz5uE-9nmvWQ-9R6Ppq-c9bZes-2yd2d-7jkF1X-fPnm16-9niifr-c9c1CA-9niw44-fPnm5v-omVX3s-98NtBB-98Ru65-98Ryqh-98Nkqz-9WU2vW-98RtGS-2j2xoLC-98NrsP-98NsgX-98Nn4Z-98RzGE-9WU2y5-98NoZT-98Ry5q-98Rw4J
- Jojomelons, Watts Towers 2008. www.flickr.com, https://www.flickr.com/photos/jojomelons/2269672353/in/photolist-4syEvX-98Rsmm-c9bXgE-6UQ1mj-omPc4X-AUKVmk-7tkmT-JvsrJ2-6QWkYT-AUKW7Z-86jCdB-98RxN7-4tzGjw-dbZAhw-2j3iR9L-2j3iQLG-2N56Yb-5kVU2c-9nmyFG-6QWm1v-9R3Q16-c9bWNC-6p3XPe-c9bVVJ-dg32Uj-7jpsiG-c9bZtN-4tzGmJ-9niitR-kgU4L6-6bszpM-4tvDtn-2yd2c-c9bYDo-4tvDqz-6QWmg4-4tvDq6-4tzGm7-2N59bu-7jpw8h-c9c1cY-c9bZNS-7jkvqt-6QWkZD-7jpaBL-4tzGkU-6R1poU-5ckHhe-71hbe9-9nmwkW
- Steve Silverman, Watts Tower – detail 2010. www.flickr.com, https://www.flickr.com/photos/pov_steve/5339122133/in/photolist-98NoZT-98Ry5q-98Rw4J-98RvKq-MDWrL9-98RyPu-9WU2mb-98Non2-9WU2nW-98NiEX-9WRax8-5cpxxm-9R6KoJ-86nNvs-86jyQV-9R6Ssw-86jyVD-9nmyPN-fPnm3H-7jkfTK-6QWmm4-fPnmaT-7jpzCy-fPDiyf-6R1pqJ-6bwGZb-9nipA2-fPDiAu-9nispg-fPnm8v-4syD3k-9nipM6-98RCdo-ARtDHm-2MZKNt-4syEvX-98Rsmm-c9bXgE-6UQ1mj-omPc4X-AUKVmk-7tkmT-JvsrJ2-6QWkYT-AUKW7Z-86jCdB-98RxN7-4tzGjw-dbZAhw-2j3iR9L
- Tana Gandhi, Urban Light at LACMA 2011. www.flickr.com, https://www.flickr.com/photos/risewiththesun/5879731041/in/photolist-9Xzac8-9XC3md-9Xz9XX-8nHh6h-2fpHuQR-obhHGZ-Jihjbf-bp3VMJ-2emf2wX-eAC7p7-jRHyTE-ebiRAW-RYKjQZ-jRHz7A-2dUoj2C-TAYNDq-84a3zT-9uHHjR-dMwMnS-4yWnyc-2is4GSb-2abE8fS-oDqtce-2abE8Am-QNSuz8-jnj75z-Aj4UKa-4PPrYv-dy3Wdq-2exuvAh-RYKirr-TU2HhF-HqtTkH-dwKwbA-ebiNKY-pgzrko-d3Wye7-Z2tgZ3-iFxXTq-9Jw1UT-214wNR4-5NNLNE-21h3BLN-5QaPS6-5XiYJM-5NNLFh-QNSwaT-RPhQL3-dy5Mq7-dxZrJD
- Matt Hintsa, Urban Light @ LACMA 2012. www.flickr.com, https://www.flickr.com/photos/matt_hintsa/6824418256/in/photolist-bp3VMJ-2emf2wX-eAC7p7-jRHyTE-ebiRAW-RYKjQZ-jRHz7A-2dUoj2C-TAYNDq-84a3zT-9uHHjR-dMwMnS-4yWnyc-2is4GSb-2abE8fS-oDqtce-2abE8Am-QNSuz8-jnj75z-Aj4UKa-4PPrYv-dy3Wdq-2exuvAh-RYKirr-TU2HhF-HqtTkH-dwKwbA-ebiNKY-pgzrko-d3Wye7-Z2tgZ3-iFxXTq-9Jw1UT-214wNR4-5NNLNE-21h3BLN-5QaPS6-5XiYJM-5NNLFh-QNSwaT-RPhQL3-dy5Mq7-dxZrJD-dxXVAM-9SoZhh-dy5Yhd-dxZuHa-dxZsZH-dxZwxe-omWtHD
- Thomas Hawk, I wish I Could Talk With You 2010. www.flickr.com, https://www.flickr.com/photos/thomashawk/8924444404/in/photolist-eAC7p7-jRHyTE-ebiRAW-RYKjQZ-jRHz7A-2dUoj2C-TAYNDq-84a3zT-9uHHjR-dMwMnS-4yWnyc-2is4GSb-2abE8fS-oDqtce-2abE8Am-QNSuz8-jnj75z-Aj4UKa-4PPrYv-dy3Wdq-2exuvAh-RYKirr-TU2HhF-HqtTkH-dwKwbA-ebiNKY-pgzrko-d3Wye7-Z2tgZ3-iFxXTq-9Jw1UT-214wNR4-5NNLNE-21h3BLN-5QaPS6-5XiYJM-5NNLFh-QNSwaT-RPhQL3-dy5Mq7-dxZrJD-dxXVAM-9SoZhh-dy5Yhd-dxZuHa-dxZsZH-dxZwxe-omWtHD-dy4oZy-dxZsjM
- Jake&Brady, Trajan’s Column 2007. www.flickr.com, https://www.flickr.com/photos/jakedunagan/744973500/in/photolist-28QbEG-irusA-2st7X-CUdjn6-dZAyUk-nW9GdC-5bEu1V-2rR7Kg-gCVwan-9pNJD-e5fGPs-8p8nnh-ed3WiG-7NkfJv-aT5tj4-8MLM78-jKua7-3gBU79-dFgiZw-5GNs7J-byaMA3-ndCNVD-5RJjUm-bsQdMR-bTbMGR-8Fec3A-odTen7-59v487-D5zC-9x4ACH-t3jap-4SE6Y1-BSGzKG-7QoX2r-63dnra-myjAU-8sdML2-6PxJMj-47cVe-agDW3-bAYxkH-aA433r-o7qLP8-4NmB3K-nNyuJV-6HA2iR-ML5THv-HuPYeh-4YFqzx-3Qf8k
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- Sharon Mollerus, Temple of Delphi, Greece 2013. www.flickr.com, https://www.flickr.com/photos/clairity/9616817909/in/photolist-fDNGVk-ZmKTCG-fE6tuN-21n3soo-7VY5cr-9cd8gR-21n2Wz5-7W2jwy-7W2jMG-21rRzaB-SSN2hN-9cgcds-TKKUSY-Tzovur-9cgcFd-SwSX77-TUzYAR-2351pyp-Twcn6s-YDZLDa-SkvogV-trugGP-U3x4Fo-Tgnjcc-SwSWtU-ZZxycr-T2VrpG-9FqQsn-21n2Sfy-24CPuWG-XWPsBV-dsgdBy-24CPunf-fE6G4S-c1mZGu-TBXAPc-fE6CtN-ecLfVv-UfEtQ9-TSfzky-TR6d3L-oNWP4x-4nSkZ7-9cgdoy-U78BHT-ZZxuTc-MVHE1-fiDP4P-9FtLpm-euCcZa
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