Summer School // Sculpture: Mythology and the Minotaur

This one-week course offers the opportunity to delve into the extraordinary and intriguing subject of the Minotaur. The Minotaur derives from classical Greek mythology, but what it means and symbolises has evolved, changed, and continues to be culturally significant. It has inspired artists right up to Canova, Picasso, Michael Ayrton to Nicola Hicks and Harrison Birtwistle. Beyond the mythology, the Minotaur offers technical opportunities; we will be drawing and sculpting the human body, male and female, and then aspects of the bull's form too; covering a lot of ground. How do we fuse these two creatures together to produce our sculpture and what pose, of the many, do we adopt to define how we individually interpret the Minotaur? This mythical figure occupies the borders of where the rational meets the irrational, or is it just closer to a certain sort of truth? The excitement in delving into this subject allows for all sorts of opportunities for expression, interpretation and drama through what we make. 
 
This intense week will provide useful practical and theoretical artistic information, examining rich and diverse cultural artistic references. The final sculpture will measure roughly 33cms and will be built around an armature and sculpted over in wax or other modelling materials chosen by the student. All levels welcome. 

Materials suggested for the course include:

• Modelling Tools (ribbon wire loop tools)
• Craft Knife
• Sketchbook of any size
• Apron
• A hand mirror
• Pencils and an Eraser
• Printed Images of Minotaurs that you find interesting
• Wax or modelling materials like Plasterline (which is not plastercene)
• Modelling Stands
• Wire Armature

You may also want to have a range of drawing materials, our suggestions include:

• Charcoal
• Graphite Stick 
• Drawing Pencils
• Coloured Pencils
• Pastels
• Ink Pens
• Conté Crayons
• Putty and Hard Erasers
• Pencil Sharpener
• Sketchbook 
• Paper in various sizes – we suggest A3 – A1  
• A drawing board or large book to lean on