Theses and Dissertations at Montana State University (MSU)
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://scholarworks.montana.edu/handle/1/733
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Item Attis embodied: androgyny and the 'debased' divine in a second century statue from Ostia's sanctuary of Magna Mater(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Arts & Architecture, 2022) Edwards, Ash Aurora; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Regina GeeThe unique physicality of the Reclining Attis had the potential to mark him as debased to a normative, elite Roman audience but for cult members or followers of Magna Mater it was necessary for the depiction of Attis as a god. The purpose of this paper is to interrogate and analyze the representation of the body of the Reclining Attis, dedicated by C. Cartilius Euplus to the Sanctuary of Magna Mater in Ostia, by comparison with other figure types in Roman statuary and in conjunction with the Roman literary tradition, in order to understand the defining of embodied identity for the divine Attis within this second century sculpture. Within the body of the Reclining Attis we can see a blending of masculine and feminine signs, associations with fertility, vegetation, and natural cycles, and an emphasis on the beautiful foreign body. These signs within the body can be read as an embodiment of Attis's divinity as third gender, as a vegetal deity, and as a repository for cultural dualities. Missing from current scholarship on the cult of Attis and Magna Mater is a concentrated, art historical reading of the figure of Attis. The use of the cult objects left behind, not merely as illustrations for the presence of the cult, but as significant pieces of evidence for what the cult believed about itself and its gods, and what it wanted to communicate to others. Representations, particularly representations of the body, are embedded with meaning within their cultural contexts, even bodies as unusual as that of Attis. Close analysis of representations of Attis, then, may help to inform more fully the continually developing conversation surrounding the figure and his meanings. This thesis has added to the ongoing scholarly discussion regarding Attis in Rome and has also begun to fill in the gap of art historical analysis in his study and can serve as a model for further interpretations of the Attis body as a representation of embodied, divine identity.Item Mode of production(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Arts & Architecture, 2016) Carignan, Chad James; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Dean AdamsI am driven by a desire to understand economic practices through the production of a commodity. Specialization and repetition as modes of production allow me to model the structures which modern societies are built upon. The objects, which are miniature cinderblocks, are extruded, cut, stacked, fired and assembled as structures with the blocks serving as markers of commodity. We are living in a time in which the practices required to support our current standards of living are in question, from concerns with sustainability to workers rights. Through this process I gain insight into contemporary practices of production. Viewer participation provides the opportunity for the work to transform from a marker of commodity to an object with a value of use for the consumer.Item Urban drift(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Arts & Architecture, 2014) Goldsmith, Amy Katherine; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Josh DeWeeseUrban Drift is about the flaneur, the derive... the psychogeography of the Midwest. We, as curious beings, drift to places that spark memories of the past; such is the way of a nostalgic subconscious. These drawings and sculptures provide a mysterious and yet vaguely familiar space that illustrates a collision of diluted symbolism and traces of nostalgia. The Midwest is filled to the brim with the geriatric and remnants of times long gone; but the objects in this show provide the atmosphere for an idling sensation to let ones imagination take them to a time of industrial production and shiny chrome, away from the crumbling concrete and dusty interiors. Therefore, this work aims to allure the viewer into viewing the decaying urban landscapes that currently occupy the rustbelt's interiors and the history that is being eroded away from memory in the Midwestern society.Item Tensions and contrasts(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Arts & Architecture, 1977) Robinson, Ann FridenItem Firewall(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Arts & Architecture, 1994) Goetz, Anne ElizabethPlaster is the one material which is common to this group of sculptures. Outside of the art world, plaster is seen simply as a building material. In walls plaster insulates, retards fire, or is used as a cosmetic. For artists plaster has functioned historically as a mold material rather than a finished product. For my purposes, the most important aspect of plaster is its role as a mold material. Since plaster preserves a material’s impression, fulfilling my intention to record processes, I use it as both a tool and as a final product. The effect burning has on materials introduces an element of chance to my procedures. As a process it leaves natural lines by eroding away the structure. The final burning process is one in which I have various degrees of control. Sometimes I will totally abandon control, and let the decisions come from the fire, truly allowing the sculpture to finish itself. If my initial motivation does not demand this, I will douse the flames when the desired result has been achieved. Partial burning of the structure removes and records the material imbedded in the plaster. The basic sculptural forms in my work are shapes that I recognize in nature. The cone is an intriguing shape to use because it simultaneously expands into space and draws space into itself. Several works are spherical deriving from a collapsed cone. Bivalve’s flattened ovals developed from the cone as well. I identify the shapes with elements of my body; cone as womb, sphere a stomach, and strings between elements as vertebrae or skin structure. The thin shells of the sculptures represent skin, a layer which both protects the interior from the environment and vice-versa.Item Common Ground(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Arts & Architecture, 1991) Welch, Harry ScovilleMy recent work is a statement combining painting, sculpture, and architecture. The installation here in the Haynes Gallery consists of a painted network of panels and framework constructed out of materials collected from around the Bozeman area. The construction took place from September, 1990 to May, 1991 and was completed in my backyard studio in Bozeman. The structure was then dismantled piecemeal and moved to the Haynes Gallery where it was installed as my thesis exhibit. The installation is a reflection of my fascination with time and its affect on all things. The different painted areas of the installation present a theme of varying abstract studies with color, line, curve, and shape. These studies are fused to create a uniform piece representing both the organic and synthetic qualities of life. The walls are designed in part to represent unconventional billboards, graffiti smattered walls, and a notebook for my day-to-day thoughts. The construction serves as an area for me to explore my interests with the time process by acting as a large tack board for paint and found materials. These different materials are what I use to represent different colors on a picture plane, and when combined they become a sculptural form of architecture. This structure stands as a new form created from time worn parts, ready to undergo a new transformation.Item Hybrid symbolism(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Arts & Architecture, 1996) Hughes, Dewane FranklinI use the images of tools because they are versatile and visually interesting. An object such as a hammer, saw, or wrench is interesting not only because of its own formal elements, but also because these familiar forms clearly allude to other things such as human figures, weapons, vehicles, or animals. For example, in my canoe sculpture, I construct an object that is identifiable as both a wrench and a snake. By combining formal elements in this way, I create a hybrid meaning that presents a new symbolism to the viewer. My vocabulary consists of religious icons that I have retrieved from my past. Raised in a devoutly religious household, I have a firm knowledge of numerous biblical images and stories. These images have such historical significance and symbolism that when altered they do not lose their meaning, but rather create a hybrid meaning. For example, in “Tunnel,” in order to emphasize the peculiar relationship between luck and religion, I juxtapose religious symbols with symbols of luck. I find luck to be an interesting concept especially in relation to religion. I created a new religious icon by combining the religious acronym “INRI,” with the image of the four leafed clover. The position of the symbols on top of a ladder is not only difficult or seemingly dangerous to reach, but also implies the involuntary use of a tool, in this case the shovel, if the ladder is used.Item Sculpture for a pedestrian environment(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Arts & Architecture, 1966) Berryman, GreggItem Sculpture(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Arts & Architecture, 1984) Parsons, Elizabeth Ann; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: John E. BurkeMy sculpture is a record of my experience and it proposes an experience for the viewer. I am seeking a balance which is both engaging and enigmatic. My experience is the process of making the sculpture. I work in an intuitive way, never knowing the exact outcome; the materials and forms show me how they will work together. I want the parts to became a whole and to tell a story, though not necessarily a literal one. I contrast geometric forms with a way of working which is a repetitive and gradual building, similar to the way things grow. The sense of movement I imply in my sculpture relates to movement in nature. I am interested in the way things get caught and built up by wind, rain, snow, etc. My work and processes derive more from my subconscious understanding of nature and my relationship to it, and its rhythms and layerings, than the actual appearance of the natural world. Sone of my forms make references to boats and houses which are both simple geometric, archetypal shapes. The use of the boat form mirrors a movement or journey through life. Boats and houses become our smaller environments and set parameters from which we view the world. These environments are in constant motion and vulnerable to change. Because nature is ever present and dominant, the parameters we define are essentially false, as is our sense of control and stability. Still, it is human nature to look for and attach ourselves to those things. In my newer work, I use paper for its apparitional arid ephemeral qualities which allow the forms to fade in and out. I have stopped using natural materials such as sticks and rocks because their reality does not allow for that experience of a vision which I am interested in. I also do not want to rely on their inherent beauty. I want my sculpture to have a unique and less obvious beauty. My sculptures are both a realization and a completion. They are a manifestation of materials, ideas and processes which have a self-contained, mysterious meaning and function.Item Use of the personal symbol(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Arts & Architecture, 1980) Kelly, Mary Ann