Lucas uses performances and interventions to engage the public in a dialogue concerning their relationship to notions of perception, service, and liberation thru items that are typically taken for granted, such as locks, furniture or service people. He first finds employment in a specific area of interest and then constructs pieces that expose the embedded metaphors inherent to their structure. Having completed bodies of work dealing with furniture making and the service industry, Lucas has been working as a locksmith for the past 4 years. Two and a half years ago he began to make the artwork that came as a result of this research by creating The Locksmithing Institute. I different public places he teaches anyone interested specific locksmithing skill such as: "How to pick a lock," "How to make a key," "How to find your lost keys," "How to lose your keys,"...etc. A graduate of the New Genres Department of the San Francisco Art Institute Lucas is 31, lives in San Francisco, and is seriously committed to the process of thinking about applying to graduate school.
Please follow this link to see images and a more in-depth description of his work. By clicking on an image a complete text will appear to explain each piece.

Artist website: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucasmurgida/