Moulding Matters — AA Visiting School Napoli
Naples Visiting School will revisit the ‘ornamental’ in architecture through the production of drawings and 1:1 plaster mouldings. From the grammatically-correct Classicism of a 19th century ceiling rose to the geometric abstractions of a Modernist fireplace, from fragments of Pompei’s remains to the grand excesses of a Baroque cornice, we will reconsider a breadth of historical precedents to generate our own formal grammar.
The workshop will take place in the Palazzo Ayerbo D’Aragona Cassano, presently the Casa Fondazione Morra, a contemporary art museum that hosts several art residency programmes and other collaborative events. The students will have selected pieces from a selection of more than 500 original plaster moulds dating from the 1950’s to today from which to start their investigations. We will learn directly from a master craftsman’s expertise, reworking traditional forms that will then be reinterpreted and ornamentally questioned. Each student will develop and construct a series of their own moulds from which to cast their formal experiments and ultimately a site specific installation within the complex.
The raw material for our experiments will be found in Naples and its rich tradition of stuccowork and plaster moulding. Students will develop their projects through empirical observation, obsessive sketching and measured hand-drawing. As well as the daily workshop activities, the Visiting School will include lectures and specially-arranged site visits throughout Naples Old Town. The project will conclude with the collective design of a public exhibition within CASA FONDAZIONE MORRA featuring the participants’ work. The project will be undertaken with the local association ‘Made in Cloister’.
Workshop features
Introductory lecture concerning the history, theory and application of mouldings and featuring case studies that will inform our own investigations.
Workshop delivered by a local plaster moulding atelier. They will introduce mould-making and casting in plaster. Each student will then be able to work with a mould chosen from the collection and make their own cast as a formal basis for further investigations.
Specially-arranged visits to numerous buildings in Naples, with on-site observational sketching and measured drawing.
Individual tutorials to support each student’s developing work.
Ability to expand design ideas merging different disciplines from sculpture, restoration, art, design, new technologies and architecture.
Applications
Once you complete the online application and make a full payment, you are registered to the programme.
The deadline for applications is: 20th of June 2019. At the completion of the course you will receive an AA Certificate Diploma signed and stamped for the participation to the course.
All participants travelling from abroad are responsible for securing any visa required, and are advised to contact their home embassy early. After payment of fees, the AA School can provide a letter confirming participation in the workshop.
We have a limited number of free accommodations within the same complex on a first come first serve basis.
Fees
The AA Visiting School requires a fee of £635 per participant plus a £60 AA Membership fee. All materials for casting will be provided, plaster, silicon, catalyst, canapa reinforcement, suits, gloves, original artisan moulds, 3d scanners etc. Students need to bring their own laptops, drawing materials, sketchbooks, cameras and anything you feel might be useful for your investigation. Flights are not included.
Details below:
Single room €50 per night
Double room €80 per night
EU to Naples €150 return
USA to Naples €500 return
ASIA €600/700 return
Eligibility
We are keen to assemble a group of participants with diverse approaches and levels of experience, encouraging applications from professionals and students in the fields of architecture, design, history, art and conservation.