The totemic assemblage Ex is composed of simple geometric forms, namely, rectangular wood blocks of various sizes that have been attached to a central vertical piece. A single notch approximately one-third of the way down from the top animates the work. A separate timber attached to the back is set at an oblique angle, forming the work’s X shape, which inspired its title. The wood elements are found railroad ties, undecorated and essential forms that hint at remnants of fallen architecture. 

As Gilbert Hawkins has said, “In order for sculpture to work, it has to get up in the air.” Accordingly, his focus on balance, gravity, and sculptural material—a characteristic of his work—imbue Ex with a sense of lightness. The work was purchased by Storm King after it was shown in the Art Center’s 1974 exhibition of large-scale outdoor sculpture, Sculpture in the Fields.