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sebastian martorana

sculptor

MEET THE ARTIST

Sebastian Martorana is a sculptor and illustrator who primarily works with marble with toothed and flat chisels of various sizes. Martorana “physically interacts with stone” to transform a mass into subjects that he finds valuable.

His primary focus is to reframe marble as a tool traditionally used for oppressive power and inaccessibility. Instead, he uses it to bring awareness to how stone can also depict humor, gentleness, and social equity. He aims to bring undervalued and suppressed topics into permanency as marble sculptures.

BORN: 1981 in Manassas, Virginia

LIVES: Baltimore, Maryland

ARTIST WEBSITE:
https://sebastianworks.com/

“I’m always practicing and experimenting to figure out what it is I want to do with this piece and how do I make that happen.” https://youtu.be/voES2X_VA1shttps://youtu.be/-pGpHUqtv9ohttps://youtu.be/zDwR_kZlk4A

SKILLS

Carving Plaster
a teaching substitute for marble

MEDIA

Chisel and Marble

MAKE

Draw a marble sculpture design that talks about an issue in the world that is important to you, an artwork that would last for many years. When possible, use the design to create a plaster carving about the same topic.

CONNECT

GRADES K-2
ELA Reading Standards: With support ask and answer questions about key details in a text [about sculpture]. Maryland State Fine Arts Standards (MSFAS): I:P-2:1: Think creatively about self, others, places, and events. GRADES 3-5
ELA Reading Standards: Determine and explain the main idea of a text [about monuments and memorials] and explain how it is supported by key details. When needed, summarize the text for further comprehension.
MSFAS: I:3-5:1: Act on creative ideas to develop personally meaningful compositions through observation, imagination, or memory. GRADES 6-8
ELA Reading Standards: Cite the textual evidence to clearly support an analysis of what the text [about monuments and memorials] says as well as inferences drawn from the text.
MSFAS:I:6-8:1: Access, evaluate, use and manage information throughout the context of art history and design. HIGH SCHOOL
ELA Reading Standards: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text [about monuments and memorials].
MSFAS:I:9-12:1: Act on creative ideas within the context of a given or chosen art problem.

TALK

GRADES K-2  Pre and Post Questions about Sebastian Martorana’s Videos

Preview: Is making art very hard to do? If so, why? Why do you think people enjoy doing things that are difficult?

Post: Why does Sebastian Martorana like marble/ sculpture? If you could make a sculpture that could last forever, what would you make and why?

GRADES 3-5  Pre and Post Questions about Sebastian Martorana’s Videos

Preview: Do you enjoy doing things that are challenging? If so, why? What is sculpture and can it be difficult to do? Why? Why do you think people enjoy doing things that are difficult? 

 Post: Why is Sebastian Martorana interested in the challenge of working with marble? Why is stone difficult material? Is there something you enjoy doing because it is difficult for you or difficult for others?

GRADES 6-8  Pre and Post Questions about Sebastian Martorana’s Videos

Preview: When you think about marble sculpture, art made out of stone, what comes to mind? Have you seen marble sculpture before? If you have, where did you see it? Based on what you saw, why do you think artists create marble sculptures? What are marble sculptures used for?

Post: After watching the video, when you think about marble, stone art, what comes to mind? Why is Sebastian interested in the challenge of working with marble? What are Sebastian Martorana’s reasons for focusing on 3D art over 2D art? What does Sebastian Martorana want people to feel when they look at his artwork?

HIGH SCHOOL  Pre and Post Questions about Sebastian Martorana’s Videos

Preview: When you think about marble sculpture, art made out of stone, what comes to mind? Have you seen marble sculptures before? If you have, where did you see it? Why do you think marble sculptures are for?

Post: After watching the video, when you think about marble, stone art, what comes to mind? When you see monuments, statues and memorials around Baltimore City, what comes to mind? How do Sebastian Martorana’s stoneworks compare to other Baltimore city monuments, statues and memorials? What does Sebastian Martorana want people to feel when they look at his artwork?

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