In transcending its symmetry, Nagel’s vessels have become a sculptural expression. Using bold, spontaneous movements, he carves organic shapes by hand in a box of sand and casts them in porcelain. With other objects, he employs a saw to render a familiar object in deconstructed geometry. Following the sculptural process, he is approaching the surface of the vessel like a painter approaches a canvas, but with the canvas being a dynamic landscape rather than a plane.
Nagel’s work is a dialogue: a piece of tape winding across the surface or marking a line; a brush or spray gun interacting with the surface, either repeating or contrasting with the vessel’s form. In a juxtaposition of contrast and unity, Nagels’ works demonstrate a tangible language for the 21st century.