Cal Lane

"5 Shovels" Plasma cut steal shovels - 2005

"Filigree Car Bombing" Plasma cut steel car parts, dirt
12' x 10' x 6' - 2007

British Columbia artist Cal Lane works primarily in steal, creating beautiful juxtapositions between the hard and soft. In addition to combining elements that speak to both masculinity and femininity, she also plays off the nature of lace; the aspect of covering and revealing.

Her recent works are more political in nature, combining elements of beauty into the harsher realities of life. You truly get a sense of this in her piece entitled "Filigree Car Bombing" where she has cut integrate flower patterns into twisted car parts.

"1000 Gallon Lace Oil Tank, and fabricated Oil Spill"
Oxy-acetylene cut oil tank, 12' x 4' - 2009

In her own words "The crushed steel of the car is cut into fine lace creating a drapery of disruption and sadness, a conflict of attraction to fancy work and the attraction to a horrific image."

In art, I am drawn to things of beauty and I love the way Cal incorporates such delicate lines into her pieces. In and of themselves, her art is beautiful to look at and draws you in, but as you consider her medium, you begin to see a deeper meaning.

So often I feel that contemporary art, while making a statement that may be very important, lacks the skill or visual interest to make it stand out. In order to grab and hold an audience you need to give them something they want to keep looking at, and in my opinion, Cal Lane does just that.

"I have always been interested in embracing the very thing that repels me in order to understand it: I prefer to make sense of things or in order to suspend (or pass) judgment." Cal Lane