22feature uses materials such as pipes, aluminum shields, copper coils and gauges to create lamps, light fi xtures, sculptures and other art pieces. Yet Torres creates these pieces with more on his mind than just adding to his collection. The artist said he uses the struggles he personally faces or sees happen in life to infl uence his various pieces. “I create things always with the concept of not just using the plumbing material, but having the concept of anxiety,” he said. “I’m trying to express what I’ve seen in my life. It’s more than what they look like.” One series Torres has been working on for the past seven years follows the theme of expressing anxiety, and was infl uenced by Edvard Munch’s “The Scream.” The artwork in the series is set on copper shields, with pressure gauges and other metal pieces welded on to form the screaming face. Torres also creates light fi xtures and sculptures with sewing machines from the 1900s and temperature/pressure gauges, which he uses to symbolize time. “I felt like I was liberating myself from a lot of stuff,” he said. “One of the major traumas of the human being I think is time because we think we are never going to die or get old. That’s why I’m trying to use gauges all over.” Torres currently works on his pieces in a building shared with numerous other artists, as part of the nonprofi t Long Island City arts group known as Local Project, located at 11-27 44th Road. He plans on showing his pieces at upcoming art shows, but dates are still to be determined. “I hope people just appreciate it my art,” he said. “It’s not just something functional, because when you buy something like this, handmade or created by someone, it’s always a little bit more than that.” Even though he has created various pieces of artwork with meaning behind each piece, Torres said he calls himself a plumber before an artist. “I enjoy what I do,” he said. To see some of Torres’ pieces visit www. plumbingart.com and if you are interested in purchasing an item, contact the artist at [email protected].
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