WP3: Statement of Purpose

Assessing a sculpture, especially one as complex as “Story” can seem like a daunting task. The three main concepts to consider when forming a purpose are medium, context, and audience. All of these play a vital role in supporting an argument that the viewer can assess.

Out of all types of art, sculptures have the most freedom and flexibility when comes to choice of medium. A single substance may be used or a conglomeration of materials can be forged together to create an image. In the case of “Story” a single substance, aluminum, is uniformly distributed throughout the sculpture. This is a common element in today’s society and can be seen fairly clearly in all degrees of brightness. On a sunny day aluminum can brighten the area around it by reflecting sun rays or cast lengthy shadows on both itself and the ensuing ground. Being both light and thin, aluminum portrays a fragile ethos that is easily swayed with the slightest gust of wind. This increases its ability to be manipulated and contributes to King’s affinity with disproportionate body parts. One important factor to consider is that the sculpture is man-made evidenced by the bolts connecting both the base and foot to a concrete block. The modern materials juxtapose greatly with the surrounding green grass.

After analyzing the medium of the sculpture, one must analyze the medium of the writing project. I will be writing a letter to my sculpture which implies a certain sense of familiarity between the two of us. It will be a challenge to both inquire about the recent activity of my friend and analyze its rhetorical strategies. Use of flashbacks and references to his father (William King) will be in order to smoothly concatenate both concepts.

Context plays a major role in this sculpture’s argument, most notably in its outside presence. It is vulnerable to the elements and therefore must exhibit a certain degree of sustainability. Even though “Story” is made out of thin aluminum, it still holds up even during the winter months. The straight cut sets of the sculpture enable rain drops to just roll off the surface without any lasting impact. Along with the aesthetical context, there is the historical context to consider. William King was very partial to long-legged figures and was extremely fond of his mother. He also liked to portray figures in an everyday gesture, which in this sculpture is embodied by the cigarette. Knowing the background of the artist can significantly help with uncovering the argument.

Finally, I will need to consider my audience when conjuring up this letter. My primary audiences are “Story” since I am addressing the letter to it and Mr. Ware because he will be evaluating my letter. There are numerous secondary audiences such as my peers, people strolling by during my reading, and anyone with internet access. Letters are personal pieces of writing and usually contain subtleties that only the two correspondents are familiar with. I must walk a fine line between creating a personal relationship between “Story” and me and making it accessible to an average person with limited art experience.

By considering the medium of my piece and letter, context of my sculpture, and multiple audiences I can develop a statement of purpose. My goal is to show that “Story” is a stereotypical King piece that embodies his prominent methods post-“Self”. It can be viewed through multiple lenses including historical and contextual. The wacky proportions of “Story” embody King’s strange journey through life and how he sees the world.