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Alexander Calder

Untitled
Price available upon request

1939
Sheet metal, wire, rod, and paint

142.2 x 116.8 x 61 cm / 56 x 46 x 24 in

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An important early mobile, ‘Untitled’ (1939) is poised between motion and stasis, elegantly embodying how the artist revolutionized sculpture during the 20th century. The 1930s were a period of immense innovation for Calder during which he created his first mobiles, giving form to an entirely new type of art by ingeniously freeing sculpture from its static plinth. As the decade progressed, Calder’s mobiles became increasingly complex, growing in scale and oscillating parts, culminating in intricate works such as ‘Untitled.’ An exceptionally polychromatic work, Calder added a range of hues, including green, yellow, and orange, to his signature palette of fire engine red and charcoal black. ‘Untitled’ showcases Calder’s remarkable ability to transform the humble, industrial material of sheet metal into something evocative and poetic. It explores the limitless potential of equilibrium and dynamism, showcasing Calder’s gift for creating perfectly calibrated compositions that combine impeccable balance with aesthetic pleasure.

Alexander Calder was one of the most influential and pioneering artists of the 20th century, transforming the very nature of sculpture by introducing the fourth dimension and the actuality of real-time experience into his work. Known primarily for his invention of the mobile, Calder created a prolific oeuvre that extended to wire sculpture, carved figures, stabiles, standing mobiles, oil paintings, works on paper, jewellery, furniture and domestic objects, and monumental public commissions across the globe. Calder’s experience as an artist with a direct and intuitive process gave him the unique skills to imagine and create new forms of art that radically alter our experience of space.

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Artwork images © 2023 Calder Foundation, New York / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photo: Christopher Burke
Calder working on Swizzle Sticks (1936) in his New York City storefront studio, 1936 © 2023 Calder Foundation, New York / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photo: Herbert Matter