CONRAD LEVENSON
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On the Cutting Edge

My romance with the antique ice saw began long ago. These unique tools were specifically designed and engineered for harvesting ice from frozen rivers and lakes. Their robust size, thickness, large teeth and subtly tapered blades display both technical ingenuity and the power and energy of  human labor.


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My first attempt at incorporating ice saws into my sculptures resulted in verticle  totems  using   single  blades  as the framework for the attachment of contrasting geometric elements.  

Each blade sits on a steel base which provides visual lightness and the potential for lateral movement at the top. Their inherent flexibility allows the blades to sway giving these pieces their dynamic physical and visual energy.




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Several years later, I began a more extensive exploration of the sculptural potential of ice saw blades and their transformation into individual unique yet related works of art. There are now more than twelve pieces in this series with more to come. 




















I position the blades in various combinations and relationships to each other adding attached complementary elements. Some of the works display movement and other are static. 






















In each of these life size works, conversational tension among the internal component parts  gives these works a dynamic energy. 










Each sculpture has its own story to tell. In the case of Symbiotiic  Twins, the relationship  is complex, and at times, problematic.

Striving to be independent they are, however, constrained by the  shared genetics and experience which bind them together. The vertical space between them gradually expands as their outstretched arms form the orbit of  their connection. 

Free to move separately, asserting their individuality, they attempt to remain close and always return to their common center.






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