My work is based on the concept that man functions according to the same laws as all other creatures of nature. Therefore, the urban environment is not an artificial creation but a natural habitat that man has created for himself.

The materials I use in my sculptures: slate, shingle, bluestone and boulders, are from the immediate area surrounding my studio in New York City. The slate roof shingles and bluestones are sedimentary rocks which were formed by layers of sediment compressing over millions of years. Slate and bluestone are used throughout the city for roofing and building and also used in sidewalks, backyards, and for landscaping. Brought to the area by glacier movement during the ice age, the boulders in my latest work came from building sites in Brooklyn.

My sculptures are executed by handcarving each individual layer and stacking it up until the piece is completed. Although at this point the piece will stand up by itself, I bolt it together with threaded rods and glue for permanence and safety.

The connection of man to earth and nature is vital to my art. By using the natural forces of rocks, my work awakens ancient "earth senses" that were slowly abandoned by man during his evolution to civilization. One way I make the connection of man to earth is by using the natural layers of sedimentary rock. By carving the stone, I release its inherent energies. This stone sculpture now carries a direct message to the soul of the viewer. Man came from the earth and in death returns to it. I see stone as the bone structure of the earth.

Boaz Vaadia, 1992