BEAM IV (1992) succinctly embodies John Van Alstine's ongoing exploration of tools, balance, and the animation of heavy materials. Referencing the form of a balance beam scale, the sculpture transforms a familiar measuring device into a meditation on equilibrium and control. The granite serves as a counterweight to the extended steel element, which functions both as structural support and fulcrum, creating a system of opposing forces held in careful tension.

 

As throughout his work, the tool is not depicted literally but used conceptually. Here, the scale becomes a metaphor for judgment and calibration—how forces, decisions, and positions are weighed. This connects to his broader use of implements as expressions of human agency and orientation.

Despite its weight, the sculpture conveys a sense of poised, arrested motion. The balance feels contingent rather than fixed, as if the elements could shift at any moment. In this way, BEAM IV exemplifies Van Alstine's ability to animate inanimate materials, making stone and steel feel responsive, and reinforcing his career long engagement with the dynamic interplay between mass, balance, and movement.