Artist: Cal Lane
Title: Shovel
Year: 2012
Dimensions: 143.5 x 20.3 cm

 Lane takes an old metal shovel and cuts a lace-like pattern into it creating a beautiful femininity quality to this masculine object. The open spaces that are crated by the cutting gives the shovel an airy feeling. This shovels function has been changed by Lane. She has made it into more of a decorative piece, than a shovel that can be used outside to dig with.

 Lane created her own narrative for this old shovel and gave it a different meaning. To keep this shovel dark in hue gives it more of a darker meaning to me. More of a feeling of death. Roses, usually seen in movies as things that are usually presented at funerals, are really emphasized on this shovel as well. Shovels are used to create holes in the ground to place the dead in our area. So, to me the dark hue, shovel, and rose represents death. I feel that if this factory made shovel would have been any other color it would have changed the meaning to me. But if it would have been changed in color its meaning would clearly be lost as well. I love the amazing interlay that Lane did on these shovels. Making every cut count. As well as creating an image that is not only beautiful but haunting as well.