Column IV 1974

James Garrison Hagan made this wooden sculpture, called Column IV, using subtractive methods: chiseling away at the wood. It’s how you create an artwork by removing material, taking something away instead of adding to it. Here, the gouge marks on the wood become a vital part of the piece; they're not hidden, but proudly displayed, becoming a texture. This texture communicates the artist's touch, how the material feels, and how the artist worked with that material. The spiraling central column is very suggestive of the movement of the artist’s hand, turning it as he cut. Then the piled stacks at the top and bottom provide a visual anchor and a contrast to the implied movement of the central column. It makes me think of Brancusi, another sculptor fascinated by the interplay between form and material. And like all good art, this piece invites us to consider the many ways we see, think, and experience the world. It’s not just one thing, it’s a conversation.