AlexanÂder “Sandy” Calder (1898 – 1976) was one of AmerÂiÂca’s foreÂmost modÂern artists, interÂnaÂtionÂalÂly recÂogÂnized for his invenÂtion of the mobile and his large-scale sculpÂtures. At the age of eight, he startÂed workÂing with wire to make kinetÂic sculpÂture (one of his first was a small duck that would rock when pushed, done at the age of 11). Although he became an engiÂneer and worked a variÂety of jobs, he evenÂtuÂalÂly enrolled in The Art StuÂdents League of New York. While there, he worked for the NationÂal Police Gazette, covÂerÂing, among othÂer things, the RinÂgling BrothÂers and BarÂnum & BaiÂley CirÂcusÂes.
Calder had a lifeÂlong fasÂciÂnaÂtion with the cirÂcus and, upon movÂing to Paris in 1926, he creÂatÂed the Cirque Calder, a colÂlecÂtion of wire sculpÂtures with comÂplex mechÂaÂnisms allowÂing them to move and do varÂiÂous tricks. His first showÂing of his cirÂcus was to famÂiÂly and friends, but his popÂuÂlarÂiÂty grew and he was soon givÂing shows lastÂing two hours in Paris and New York. It was then that his artisÂtic recogÂniÂtion spread, and he enjoyed a proÂlifÂic career until his death in 1976. The video above comes to us via The WhitÂney MuseÂum in NYC, which preÂsentÂed an exhiÂbiÂtion called “AlexanÂder Calder: The Paris Years, 1926–1933” in 2008-09. And we also recÂomÂmend watchÂing the 1961 short film, Le Cirque de Calder, where he talks about his toy-like creÂations.
This is the first of hopeÂfulÂly many guest posts by AdriÂenne RumÂsey.
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