When Stephen Levenhagen invents his works of art, heavy metal is his creation. Although songs by Mot’rhead inspire some of his pieces, he does not make hardcore music. Levenhagen actually creates art from metal.
Forging, acid design and welding are just a few of the techniques it takes for the works to be completed, and the final results are more than just metal sculptures to be viewed. They are eye-catching, thought-provoking discussion pieces that leave their viewers wondering about the meaning of life.
Deep thought and hard work seem to glow from ’Hagen’ as he explains some of his pieces.
One work called ’Crossroads’ is a representation of life and the choices that must be made during certain points in life. The mask at the top of this piece represents that moment in time when a choice has to be made. Little differences on either side of the mask, such as black, steel bells on one side and shiny bells on the opposite side, represent the different opposing choices in life.
Levenhagen’s work represents life and the different expressions of life that some people do not always see.
’A lot about the world is action/reaction. Maybe we’re nothing but a bundle of chemicals that react off of each other,’ he says, while describing another piece of his, titled ’Egocentric.’ ’How much control do we have, and how much is reaction?’
’Egocentric’ is a crank run machine, in which, as the crank turns, a metal sun and stars turn throughout the nearly two-foot-tall barrel-shaped structure. As the sun and stars turn, they spin a center spire, which in turn sends an arm spinning around the top. Around the top of the contraption are monkeys, hunched over with hammers. As the arm reaches the monkey, the monkey raises and lowers his hammer, a reaction caused by the catalyst before that.
The beauty of ’Egocentric’ is that the user becomes a ’ritual object’ of the piece while hunching over like the monkeys to turn the crank.
’The object removes you from your universe, to see the universe for what it is,’ Levenhagen said.
Unlike a lot of contemporary art, hanging on a lavish museum wall with a ’Do Not Touch’ sign hanging nearby, some of Levenhagen’s pieces, such as ’Egocentric’ are created so that the viewer must interact with it, quite forcefully at times. The interaction with the pieces is required in order to evoke the emotions from their viewers the artist wants.
It’s the complexity of the thought involved to really appreciate the art, which helps to inspire the artist.
’I want them to think about it, to engage with it for a little bit, to actually get some dialogue out of them,’ Levenhagen said. ’Maybe question their place in the universe for a bit.’
Though, there aren’t any showcases planned as of yet for people to engage with the art, Levenhagen hopes that soon he will be able to have a show entitled ’Dichotomy,’ along with Ken Uselton to show off his masterpieces.
Some of his work is already viewable to the Murfreesboro public. The St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Murfreesboro recently put up a rose Levenhagen produced on one of its outer walls. Other works are on display at Sugaree’s on Lytle Street.
Enchanted Planet is also expecting a phoenix from him soon.
If the art work done by Stephen Levenhagen does cause you to think about your universe, and you want something original to call your own, he will do commission pieces for those willing to pay. To contact him, call (615) 542-1344.
