Part of a series: “Peace by Piece”
“Day one- I Destroy Everything I Love”
Big Idea: Emotional Life
Major Theme: Beauty Through Imperfections
Medium/Presentation: Porcelain Teacup, Permanent Adhesive
Visual Components: Form, Line, Movement, Direction, Repetition, Shape, Space, Texture, Unity
Category: Non-art
Major Theme: Beauty Through Imperfections
Medium/Presentation: Porcelain Teacup, Permanent Adhesive
Visual Components: Form, Line, Movement, Direction, Repetition, Shape, Space, Texture, Unity
Category: Non-art
Description/Interpretation:
This piece is one of 365 in a series that Dorian Lynde worked on every day for a whole year. The picture above is “day one” of this daily project that she participated in. Depicted is a white porcelain teacup. This teacup has been detailed with gold trim towards the bottom as well as sculpted in a way so that the details protrude outward toward the viewer or handler of the teacup. The teacup is cracked at the top and that crack extends towards the middle of the cup in which the crack splits off into three more cracks. It also appears to be cracked more on the right side of the cup. The handle on the left side also contains decorative gold elements as well as small circular forms to give this rather slim handle more shape. This teacup seems to be typical in size and rests on a plane that contains natural colored leaves, stems, and flower petals. The environment that the cracked teacup is in mirrors the delicacy of the teacup. Each day Dorian Lynde would break porcelain and then put the broken pieces back together again. This process of putting back together broken pieces of pottery to show its beauty through imperfection is called kintsugi. She would title each and every piece of porcelain that she breaks after an event that occurred that day. Dorian Lynde was exploring the idea that nothing is entirely breakable and if something is broken, we have the power to pick up the broken pieces and put it back together again. Over the course of the year some days for Dorian Lynde were more synchronistic where others were more pivotal days changing her life forever and this was noted and documented throughout the artistic process. Dorian Lynde explores that while cracks will still be present, the broken item can be mended and does not have to stay broken forever. This concept is successfully executed through her choice of delicate media. We can still see the cracks, but we can also still tell what the object is, a teacup. Through this process it is important to note the hardships that Dorian Lynde had to go through during the development of this project. For one, she was physically breaking porcelain and putting it back together which is strenuous on her body, specifically her hands. The porcelain could have potentially been cutting her. This is done purposefully to show that it may not always be easy to put back together something that has once been broken. However, physically breaking something can also be seen and felt as meditative and empowering. The whole series shows the fragile emotions that we as human have and express rooting from our daily experiences. While a cracked teacup may not be whole, it can possibly still function and hold liquid like it is meant to. We can always continue to find beauty in the imperfectness of life.
This piece is one of 365 in a series that Dorian Lynde worked on every day for a whole year. The picture above is “day one” of this daily project that she participated in. Depicted is a white porcelain teacup. This teacup has been detailed with gold trim towards the bottom as well as sculpted in a way so that the details protrude outward toward the viewer or handler of the teacup. The teacup is cracked at the top and that crack extends towards the middle of the cup in which the crack splits off into three more cracks. It also appears to be cracked more on the right side of the cup. The handle on the left side also contains decorative gold elements as well as small circular forms to give this rather slim handle more shape. This teacup seems to be typical in size and rests on a plane that contains natural colored leaves, stems, and flower petals. The environment that the cracked teacup is in mirrors the delicacy of the teacup. Each day Dorian Lynde would break porcelain and then put the broken pieces back together again. This process of putting back together broken pieces of pottery to show its beauty through imperfection is called kintsugi. She would title each and every piece of porcelain that she breaks after an event that occurred that day. Dorian Lynde was exploring the idea that nothing is entirely breakable and if something is broken, we have the power to pick up the broken pieces and put it back together again. Over the course of the year some days for Dorian Lynde were more synchronistic where others were more pivotal days changing her life forever and this was noted and documented throughout the artistic process. Dorian Lynde explores that while cracks will still be present, the broken item can be mended and does not have to stay broken forever. This concept is successfully executed through her choice of delicate media. We can still see the cracks, but we can also still tell what the object is, a teacup. Through this process it is important to note the hardships that Dorian Lynde had to go through during the development of this project. For one, she was physically breaking porcelain and putting it back together which is strenuous on her body, specifically her hands. The porcelain could have potentially been cutting her. This is done purposefully to show that it may not always be easy to put back together something that has once been broken. However, physically breaking something can also be seen and felt as meditative and empowering. The whole series shows the fragile emotions that we as human have and express rooting from our daily experiences. While a cracked teacup may not be whole, it can possibly still function and hold liquid like it is meant to. We can always continue to find beauty in the imperfectness of life.
Use in teaching:
I like the idea of students exploring beauty in imperfections of themselves or life in general. No one is perfect, and life is not perfect so for a future lesson, I would like for students to examine beauty in the imperfect. Students would explore certain insecurities or imperfections about themselves and learn to see them in a different light. After all, these insecurities make them who they are today as an individual. Students would use found materials that have been broken down or dismantled to recreate a sculptural piece. This would have students exploring the concept that something can be once broken but put back together again and be beautiful. Students would be instructed to use these found materials to depict something about themselves that they think of or feel that is “imperfect.” Thinksheets will help students organize their ideas and deeply reflect on the parts of themselves that they may be insecure with. While using materials that have been broken before, students will learn to see that the broken can be fixed and mended even though one may still be able to see the brokenness if closely examined. Students will also recognize that through their creative and artistic process, their insecurity can be made into something beautiful.
I like the idea of students exploring beauty in imperfections of themselves or life in general. No one is perfect, and life is not perfect so for a future lesson, I would like for students to examine beauty in the imperfect. Students would explore certain insecurities or imperfections about themselves and learn to see them in a different light. After all, these insecurities make them who they are today as an individual. Students would use found materials that have been broken down or dismantled to recreate a sculptural piece. This would have students exploring the concept that something can be once broken but put back together again and be beautiful. Students would be instructed to use these found materials to depict something about themselves that they think of or feel that is “imperfect.” Thinksheets will help students organize their ideas and deeply reflect on the parts of themselves that they may be insecure with. While using materials that have been broken before, students will learn to see that the broken can be fixed and mended even though one may still be able to see the brokenness if closely examined. Students will also recognize that through their creative and artistic process, their insecurity can be made into something beautiful.
Discussion Questions:
- Who can describe to me what they see?
- Do you think that you can still use something that has been broken before? Why or why not?
- How many of you have ever used a teacup? A broken teacup?
- How many of you have ever broken something in your life? Were you able to put it back together again? Was it hard to put back together again? Why or why not?
- Why do you think Dorian Lynde created this series?
- How does the media in this piece used to convey a message? What message is being conveyed?
- Do you think this use of media is successful? Why or why not?
- Do you think this series was a challenge for Dorian Lynde? Why or why not?
- Is a broken cup still able to hold liquid? (Possible demonstration of this)
- What found materials will you include in your project?
- Does the type of found object relate to your piece conceptually in anyway? Why or why not?
Source:
https://www.dorianlynde.com/peace-by-piece
https://www.dorianlynde.com/peace-by-piece