Abstract
M.Tech. (Fine Art)
The Mobile City steel maquette, created by architects Lewis Levin, Paul Cawood and myself, an artist, was submitted for the 1998 Absa Bank Art Competition. My dissertation examines, through the design of a 2.5ton kinetic aluminium sculpture, three different but interrelated aspects of the work. Firstly, the practical realisation of the mobile; secondly, the gathering of research material and the maquettes; thirdly, the concept for the Mobile City sculpture. The dissertation explores the project's conceptual, collaborative and interdisciplinary nature from inception to completion. Through my investigation into corporate/art relationships I found no literature specific to corporate art projects from an artist's perspective. As an inside view of a specific public art project, this work is intended as an exploration as to how relationships between artists, corporate sponsors and professionals are mediated. It may be utilised by artists, educators and professionals. The work comprises text and a Companion CD-ROM (a Compact Disk attached to the dissertation), displaying artist's illustrations technical drawings and the methodology of structural engineers, mechanical engineers, architects, corporate officials, correspondence and contractual documents.