| LUBEN’S ARTIST STATEMENT | |||||||
| I see my work as a small link in the long tradition of sculptural object making, a practice that uses the language of plasticity in the creation of forms capable of storing and radiating spiritual energy. My sculptures are relatives of the organic forms that surround me in my everyday life in rural Newfoundland. Through my work I attempt to grasp the inherent rift and accord between humans and the world around us in our indefatigable search for a place between the atoms and the stars. Some of my sculptures are made from a combination of found natural objects and added-on sculpted elements. In others, I sculpt grasses bound with wax. The finished sculpture is cast in bronze using the lost wax, or "lost grass" method. My wooden and stone sculptures are carved, sand blasted and charred in order to attain a state of "controlled erosion" - a natural condition animated by intelligent will. The techniques, methods and processes I use are a function of a personal philosophy and value system and are also a reflection of the forces in my ambiance. These forces coupled with the powers of intuition, intellect and emotion form the nucleus of my work. | |||||||