Circus Wagon Figure: Muse c. 1938

This Circus Wagon Figure: Muse was made by John Matulis from wood, and you can see the hand of the artist so clearly! I love how the texture of the wood is not just visible, but celebrated. It's like Matulis is saying, "Here's the material, in all its raw glory." The grain swirls and dances, and the gouges from the carving tools are like little whispers of the artist's process. Look at the way the drapery falls around the figure, those little rivulets made by the tool. It's both classical and folksy, refined and rough. It reminds me of some of the early American folk art I've seen, but with a touch of something grander, more theatrical. This piece sits perfectly between the high and low brow, but never feels like it has to pick a side. I think of Guston, who was another artist not afraid to embrace the so-called "ugly" or "pedestrian" aspects of artmaking. Art is a conversation, after all, and this piece has a lot to say.