WP3: Statement of Purpose

Writing project number three asks us to analyze a sculpture in the Sheldon Art Garden. This assignment is different than the others that we have had in the past. Unlike past writing projects where we came up with an argument for a photograph or a comic, this time we get to work with a sculpture. Some people may find it hard to believe that art and sculptures are making arguments, but in actuality there is not a single piece of art that doesn’t make an argument. My job as a writer is to find out what argument Juan Hamilton is trying to make in his sculpture entitled “Fragment X-O.” The easiest way for me to discover the argument that Juan Hamilton is making is by analyzing the sculpture from several different contexts and finding rhetorical elements in my sculpture that clearly bring out the argument.

One huge difference that I believe is beneficial in finding an argument in my sculpture is that for the first time I get to deal with something that is three dimensional. This is one extremely important aspect of writing project three because there are now an infinite number of contexts that I can view my sculpture from. Although this brings about many new possible arguments, it can also make finding the argument much tougher. If viewing my sculpture with no means of discovering its purpose and the argument it is making, it may seem like an incredibly boring and dull sculpture, but in fact there is an enormous amount of symbolism in the sculpture that must be discovered in order to build a well thought out argument.

Another big element that I will need to spend some time talking about is topography. Once the topography is understood it will be much easier to conceive am argument. The topography has an enormous effect on the argument being made and the sculpture itself. The natural and physical features that surround the sculpture can influence the ways that Fragment X-O brings out the argument. Since Fragment X-O is placed in the middle of a college campus, there is a much larger audience. The audience that I will be working with will consist primarily of classmates and most importantly my professor who will be grading it based on guidelines that need to be followed in order to obtain a better grade. Although my most important audience is my professor, anyone who can access the internet is also my audience which means that I will have to write in a way that appeals to several people.

Since my sculpture is not very detailed, it is crucial that I am able to expand on the symbolism and ethos that I find. If I can outline and organize my thoughts and ideas above in an easily readable paper, it will bring out the clear and present argument that Juan Hamilton is trying to make in his sculpture, Fragment X-O.