Fine and Applied Art Project Topics

Confronting the Problem of Studio Space in Textile Practice at the University of Benin: A Communal Initiative

Confronting the Problem of Studio Space in Textile Practice at the University of Benin: A Communal Initiative

Confronting the Problem of Studio Space in Textile Practice at the University of Benin: A Communal Initiative

Chapter One

Objectives of the Study

This project is designed to alleviate the suffering of students due to lack of work space.. Since the studio is the center for textile production, this project will help us understand the importance textile to mankind. This studio extension would help to reduce the risk of health caused by mixture of dyes and chemicals because it‟s well ventilated nature. The bathroom attached to the building serves as a place for wash up in case of any spillage.

CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Building construction today is a significant part of industrial culture, a manifestation of its diversity and complexity and a measure of natural forces, which can produce a widely varied built environment to serve the diverse need of society. Construction industries are a growing industry in all over world. In Nigeria, time and cost overruns have been identified as the most important factors responsible for abandonment and contractor‟s failure (Elinwa and Uba 2001).Although the Indian construction industry has gained far more importance in recent times because of opening up of Indian markets and the arrival of megaprojects for infrastructure development, the performance of Indian construction projects. A study conducted by Infrastructure and Project Monitoring Division of Ministry of Statistics and Programmed Implementation (http://www.mospi.nic.in) reports that out of 646 central sector projects (which are of order of more than $4.45 million) Costing around $50 trillion and average project duration of 6 to 7 years, about 40% are behind schedule and the delay ranges from 1 to 252 months. Frank D.K. Fugar and Adwoa B. Agyakwah-Baah (2010) studied the “Delays in Building construction projects in Ghana”. The study sought the relative importance of the factors that cause delays in building construction projects in Ghana, from that study showed that all the three groups of respondents generally agreed that out of a total of 32 factors the top ten influencing factors in causing delay arranged in deseeding order of importance are:[1)Delay in honoring certificates. 2) Underestimation of the costs of projects.3) Underestimation of the complexity of project.4) Difficulty in accessing bank credit.5) Poor supervision.6) Underestimation of time for completion of projects by contractors.7) Shortage of materials 8) Poor professional management.9).

The department of fine and applied art existed as two separate departments under the defunct faculty of creative arts before their merger in 1987 as the Department of Fine and Applied Arts. There are 7 units or areas of specialization, namely: Painting, Sculpture, Ceramics, Graphic Design, Textile Design, Metal Design, and Art History. Each of these specializations has its own work place known as studio.

The Studio and Its Origin

Merriam Webster defined studio as the working place of a painter, sculptor, or photographer, a place for the study of an art. According to Wikipedia, studio is an artist‟s  or  worker’s  workroom,  or  the  catchall  term  for  an  artist  and   their employees who work within that studio. This can be for the purpose of acting, architecture, painting, pottery (ceramics), sculpture, origami, woodworking, scrapbooking, photography, graphic design filmmaking, animation, industrial design, radio or television production, broadcasting or the making of music. The term is also used for the workroom of dancers, often specified to dance studio. The word studio is derived from the Italian: studio, from Latin: studium, from studere, meaning to study or zeal. The French term for studio, atelier, in addition to designating an artist’s studio is used to characterize the studio of a fashion designer.   Atelier   also    has    the    connotation    of    being    the    home    of  an alchemist or wizard.

According to John Barnes roles of studio, (page 6),‟ the studio carries differing connotations. For artists, the mediums in which they work, the materials they employ, and the scale and budget at which they operate all significantly impact their studio „requirements and meaning‟. For those not involved with art production, the notion of the „studio‟ will carry other sets of thoughts and envisioned ideas. These may be influenced by exposure to actual artists‟ workplaces but more often they are the product of romanticized and mythologized portrayals. Such imaginings are created via Hollywood movies, such as Vincente Minnelli‟s Lust for Life (1956), where Kirk Douglas plays the lead role of „the brilliant but tortured artist‟, Vincent van Gogh.

 

CHAPTER THREE

METHODOLOGY

Data Collection

The method use in gathering data for theoretical aspect of this research was primarily based on sourcing information from textbook like (John Barnes; Roles of Studio and Zone subjection Projection by David M Thomas) while interview and internet was a source of the secondary data. In the practical aspect of this research work, data were collected from different sources, information were gotten from architects, site engineers, lecturers and other building works serve as reference for studio extension.

Materials for Construction

Cement

Sand (laterite/filling sand) Galvanize poles

Planks Granite Nails

Pegging rods (profile)

CHAPTER FOUR

Structural Analysis

Structural analysis employs the fields of applied mechanics, materials science and applied mathematics to compute a structure’s deformations, internal forces, stresses, support reactions, accelerations, and stability. The results of the analysis are used to verify a structure’s fitness for use, often precluding physical tests. Structural analysis is thus a key part of the engineering design of structures.. To perform an accurate analysis a structural engineer must determine such information as structural loads, geometry, support conditions, and materials properties. The results of such an analysis typically include support reactions, stresses and displacements. This information is then compared to criteria that indicate the conditions of failure.

CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

Summary

This study focuses on the construction of a spacious and well equipped textile studio in the University of Benin, Ekehuan campus. The building would provide a new space for the upcoming textile artists to carry out all textile design activities. The structure comprises of different rooms such as the main work spaces for (batik, printing, and other minor studio work), a dye bath for design activities and a bath room.

Conclusion

This research is base on the construction of an ideal textile studio, which will help solve the problem of congestion and poor ventilation, creating a conducive environment for the textile artist to be able to work effectively, thereby raising the performance level in training and research in the university.

The study also bears step by step pictorial illustrations to serve as a guide for the construction of other future art studios in the university. In furtherance of the new spacious studio, it is suggested that the studio be equipped with specially adapted pieces of furniture for efficient textile production.

REFERENCE

  • Buren, Daniel. (2010). “The function of the studio.” In The studio reader: on the space of Artist, edited by Mary Jane Jacob and Michelle Grabner, 156-62. Chicago and London: University of Chicago press.
  • Clark, Kenneth. (1972). The Nude: A Study in Ideal Form. Princeton: Princeton University press
  • Davidts, Wouter, and Kim Paice, eds. (2009). The fall of the studio. Amsterdam: Valiz Kelly, Francis, 1974.
  • Diederichsen, Diederich. (2008). Opening speech of the Martin Kippenberger: The problem perspective exhibition held at  the  Museum  of Contemporary Art (MOCA), Los Angeles. Recorded 21 September 2008 at MOCA. Accessed 9 June 2010.
  • Douglass, Bruce G, and Clark Moustakas. (1985). “Heuristic enquiry: The Internal Search to Know.” Journal of Humanistic Psychology 25, no. 3:39-55.
  • Gray, Carol, and Julian Malins. (2004). Visualizing Research: A Guide to the Research Process in Art and Design. Burlington: Ashgate.
  • Sands, T.B. (2002): Buildings Stability and Tree Growth for Swelling London Clay Implications for Pile Foundation Design.
  • “The Poor Man‟s Sport Car Descending a Staircase: Kippenberger as Sculptor.”(2008) In Martin Kippenberger: The Problem Perspective, edited by Ann Goldstein and Lisa Gabrielle Mark, 118-83. Los Angeles: The Museum of Contemporary Art.