Éditeur Kidsono

Calder devoted himself to commissions for monumental works for major world metropolises (Chicago, New York, Paris, etc.). These gigantic sculptures are stabiles or standing mobiles installed in open public spaces. He designed small-scale models, which were then fabricated by specialized metalworkers. “Southern Cross”, a standing mobile at his home in Roxbury, consists of a “Calder red” base and a black oscillating mobile.

In 1930, a visit to Mondrian’s studio was a revelation for Calder. Inspired by the idea that colored shapes could “vibrate”, he launched into abstraction and non-figurative art. He transitioned from abstract painting to non-figurative sculptures in wire and geometric shapes. He created the first kinetic sculptures, abandoning motors to let the movement happen thanks to the wind. He was the first sculptor to introduce movement into his works.

Very sociable, Calder liked to open his studios (in Roxbury and, starting in the 50s, in Saché, France) to photographers. In Saché, in the Touraine region, he traded three mobiles for an old farm to make his residence and later built a massive 300-square-meter studio there. He worked there alone, often to the sound of the numerous mobiles suspended from the ceiling clinking.

Thanks to the success of his circus, Calder became known by creating sculpted portraits in wire. He bent the metal to “draw in space” in 3D, contrasting with the massive sculptures of the era through their lightness. He notably created portraits of Kiki de Montparnasse and the star Josephine Baker.

Born in 1898 in the United States to a family of artists, Calder showed his creativity from a very young age and was already the “king of upcycling”. At eleven years old, he created the metal sculptures Duck and Dog for his parents. After studying engineering, he turned to art in New York and became a press illustrator. It was at this time that he discovered and was strongly inspired by the world of the circus.

Calder designed his mobiles with such perfect balance that a simple breath of wind is enough to set them in motion. He used lightweight materials, banished symmetry, and defied gravity, making the wind a full-fledged part of the artwork. This mastery of movement and balance earned him the nickname “Wind Sculptor.” Their movements are unpredictable, offering an infinity of combinations.