ASTRAEA — Daughter of Zeus and Themis, Astraea is the Greek personification of justice (later associated with the Roman tradition). She lived among humankind during the Golden Age, but as corruption and impiety took hold in the Brazen and Iron Ages, she withdrew to the heavens, where she became identified with the constellation Libra.

ASTRAEA’S BEAM brings together several central aspects of Van Alstine’s work: balance, the language of tools, and the use of myth to reflect on contemporary concerns. The beam—or scale—recalls Libra, yet here it is deliberately and unsettlingly askew: the heavier end rises while the lighter stone drops. This inversion serves as a pointed reminder that the equilibrium we associate with justice is neither fixed nor guaranteed. It calls for constant vigilance, urging us to remain active stewards of one of our most fundamental democratic principles—the rule of law, and its fair, impartial, and unbiased application.