The Flame sculpture is Created entirely with re-claimed, scrap material from local sites during the construction, renovation, and demolition of buildings,and marble and granite suppliers in Roun Rock and Austin, the work celebrates dynamic convergence and flow of energy. The materials in the piece come to Taxes from all over the world and traverse the spectrum from dark to light, in the same progressive layers found in the earth.
The approximately 8,000-pound structure is built upon steel eye-beams, the interior skeleton comprised of a succession of steel rings firmly holding every 12 inch section in place. The overall dimensions of the piece are 6 feet by 6 feet at the base, reaching to a height of 13 feet at the top. Each of the 400, 41/2 x 6 1/2 pieces was individually cut and placed in this steel shelving. This sophisticated structure allows for the interior to be hollow.
The hollow core facilitates the storage of the Sun's energy in the stone during the day and, even at night time, heat radiates from the structure. As the flux of energy is felt from bottom to top of the structure, so too is the dynamism of the piece realized in the convex and concave faces, undulating and infusing the piece with energizing movement. The flow of movement represents an epic dance, a turgid stress released in energetic flow.
In the year George Sabra spent creating the piece, he often reflected on the similarities in the diversity of the materials and those of taxes's citizens. Likewise, the spirit of re-use and reclamation of the materials are in line with the green idealism also thriving in Taxes. The overarching, dynamic qualities of the piece reflect our active, energetic community.