Video Reviews-WEEK 5

Eyes of a Sculptor:
 I learned that it is rare that during restoration of a piece that a sculptor will actually work on statues, outside of perhaps working on extremities such as feet and hands.  The sculptor also described the fact that he used blocks of marble that weighed as much as 40 tons. He considers things like how resistant it will be, how durable, etc. I also did not know that most sculptures are not worked on entirely by the same artist.  Several artists will work on the piece, and each one specializes in certain areas. Their work contributes to the whole.
This video relates to the text in that it gives more insight into the sculpting methods, the processes the sculptor goes through, their thoughts/ideas,  all of which are mentioned in the book.
 I thought this video was very informative.  It shows how the process of creating a sculptor, from that start to finish. I think it was very interesting how much thought has to go into just the choice of the marble, for example. It’s not as simple as I previously though.

Glass and Ceramics:
The video showed the process of how glass is created, and described the benefits of the use of glass as a building material. The video also shows how glass is shaped through various ways, such as through using propane torches, or using chemical agents like hydrochloric acid. It is so interesting how something like glass actually turns into a sticky, runny texture when heated and that’s how they shape it. The process of creating stained-glass windows was also interesting to see, especially how there are many steps that go into it, like the sketches they make prior to cutting the glass, etc.
I also learned about the processes in making ceramics, such as dry pressing, which is a commonly used practice when producing flat objects, such as dinner plates.  
This video relates to the text because it shows the process of stained glass creation, namely lead-stained glass, which is mentioned in the text.  The video also gives more details about the process of how glass is created.  The process of firing clay to enhance durability is mentioned in both the text and video as well.
I thought the video was informative because it showed how glass is actually made. It was also interesting to learn the many uses of ceramics, like for bone replacements, and car parts, etc.  I never knew how adaptable ceramics were prior to watching the video.

Installation Art:
The video described the history of installation art, and explained how it has challenged the traditional view of what art means. It  discusses the importance of the site for which an installation is created, and the affect this has on what the installation is.  Installations have become a modern, trendy and fresh way of expressing oneself through art.
This video relates to the text because they both discuss Installation Art, which is the relationship of the piece with the viewer and it's time and place.  The video also uses Smithson's "Spiral Jetty" as a reference to explain how installations relate to their specifics sites where they are placed.
I thought the video was interesting and helped me understand more about installations. I never considered them as art prior to this class, and frankly didn’t really know they were become so popular. I think installations are a really neat way to express an idea in art.