ART Habens Art Review // Special Issue ART Habens Art Review - Special Issue #89 | Page 77

Lael Burns
ART Habens
spiritual beautification via the Holy
Spirit.
then choose to refine their voice
through the material aspects of the
work in order to add specificity of
personal narrative. For example, the
flames in my work specifically
reference hot rods which may only
be obvious to the viewer who has
history with custom car culture. So I
have the choice to either leave the
connection open ended, or I could
make it more specific by painting on
metal with automotive paint or by
using pinstriping designs which may
be a more obvious connection.
As a Christian, I make work about
the process of knowing God and the
wonderfully raw experience of being
born again and being constantly
changed by the Holy Spirit everyday.
This is the primary driving force
behind my work. For example, the
organic forms I describe in the
“Revival’s Seed” series, are
synthetically adorned organs,
wombs, and hearts that display the
external evidence of internal rebirth
and are a physical manifestation of
things intangible and infinite.
These sculptures are some of my
most recent works and represent a
new, exciting direction in my work.
As potent mixtures of sculpture,
drawing, and painting, I think of
them in the context of painting and a
seamless continuation of my two
dimensional work.
Symbolism in my work: The flames I
mentioned above, as referencing car
culture, are really not about cars at
all, but are entry point to things in
life that are fleeting and carnal, the
lusts of the eye and impure motives
of the heart. However, flames can
also symbolize the idea of inner
refinement, as in the burning away
of impurities by the fire of the Holy
Spirit. Ornamental hood decals and
sparkly paint can speak to the visual
softening of something hard and
made of steel as metaphor for the
softening of the heart. The organic
forms I work with are a stand in for
the inner self in relationship to God. I
often utilize lace patterns as a
picture of adornment, beauty,
safety, and security. The use of
glitter is a nod to metal flake
automotive paint and is a symbol for
the idea of deep inner healing and
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