Writing/Essay/Journal
Alonso Sierralta combines natural and man-made elements to make unusual yet familiar sculptural pieces. His pieces often incorporate resources from his native country, Chile, such as copper.

If you were to create a sculptural piece using elements from the place you live, what elements would you use? Write about an industry/material your state or region is known for. Now choose an element that is either manmade or natural to contrast with the materials from your region. Write a paragraph comparing and contrasting the two elements, then explain how you might incorporate them into a sculpture.

Activity
Look carefully at Sierralta’s piece Samothrace. When asked to use materials from a gym that was being torn down, he recombined them to show movement and the human figure. Its title refers to a famous statue in Samothrace, Greece, Winged Victory, which shows Nike, the Greek goddess of victory.

Plan a sculpture you would make that shows the essence of your favorite room or place. Since you can’t tear apart your chosen place to use the materials, show what you would use in a drawing, or photograph the elements, cut them out, and create a collage version of your piece.