From a distance, "Totem," the Mark Vance sculpture on extended display at the Kenneth Paul Lesko Gallery at the West 78th Street Studios on the edge of Cleveland's Gordon Square Arts District, resembles a traditional American Indian totem pole.

By Michael Heaton, The Plain Dealer

March 06, 2010, 12:00AM

Peggy Turbett, The Plain Dealer"Totem" by Mark Vance is 106 inches tall and took five years to complete. It is composed of wood, metal, acrylic and kazoos (yes, kazoos). There are sword blades along the top of the wings, a broadsword down the front of the piece and a circular buzz-saw blade behind the wings.

But step closer. There's a whole lot more going on there than meets the initial glance.

The almost-9-foot-tall piece is a towering assemblage composed in the feverish but patient brain of an artist whose day job is buying and selling antiques. "Totem" was five years in the making as Vance looked for just the right pieces while trolling for antiques.

The totem pole consists of swords, knives, a World War I mortar shell, scythe blades, saw blades, gun parts, drill bits and several sharp and pointy farm implements. The base and final piece Vance found is a wooden model used to make the plastic pontoons for Navy pontoon boats.

Completed in 1994, "Totem" is priced at $15,000. When asked if the sculpture is some kind of anti-war statement, Vance laughs. "Oh, no," he says. "Quite the opposite. I think it symbolizes peace through strength."

The Kenneth Paul Lesko Gallery, 1305 West 80th St., is open noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Call 216-631-6719 or go toKennethPaulLesko.com.