Alexander Calder 1898-1976
Alexander Calder 1898-1976 Mobiles and Stabiles
ALEXANDER CALDER was an American sculptor known as the originator of the mobile, a type of moving sculpture made with delicately balanced or suspended shapes that move in response to touch or air currents. Calder’s monumental stationary sculptures are called stabiles. He also produced wire figures, which are like drawings made in space, and notably a miniature circus work (below) that was performed by the artist.
MOBILES Dating from 1931, Calder’s sculptures of discrete movable parts powered by motors were christened “mobiles” by Marcel Duchamp, a French pun meaning both "motion" and “motive."
Shape Ideas for his Mobiles
STABILES By 1932, he moved on to hanging sculptures which derived their motion from touch or the air currents in the room. They were followed in 1934 by outdoor pieces which were set in motion by the open air. At the same time, Calder was also experimenting with self-supporting, static, abstract sculptures, dubbed "stabiles" by Jean Arp in 1932 to differentiate them from mobiles.
The Four Elements 1961, Stockholm, SWEDEN
Anteater 1965, Rotterdam, HOLLAND
Heads and Tails 1965 Berlin, Germany
Tree Leaf 1974, Israel
Untitled, 1968 Lisbon Portugal
Bobbin, 1970, Australia
Eagle 1971, Seattle WA
The Halberdier, 1971 Germany
ALEXANDER CALDER was an American sculptor known as the originator of the mobile, a type of moving sculpture made with delicately balanced or suspended shapes that move in response to touch or air currents. Calder’s monumental stationary sculptures are called stabiles. He also produced wire figures, which are like drawings made in space, and notably a miniature circus work (below) that was performed by the artist.
MOBILES Dating from 1931, Calder’s sculptures of discrete movable parts powered by motors were christened “mobiles” by Marcel Duchamp, a French pun meaning both "motion" and “motive."
Shape Ideas for his Mobiles
STABILES By 1932, he moved on to hanging sculptures which derived their motion from touch or the air currents in the room. They were followed in 1934 by outdoor pieces which were set in motion by the open air. At the same time, Calder was also experimenting with self-supporting, static, abstract sculptures, dubbed "stabiles" by Jean Arp in 1932 to differentiate them from mobiles.
The Four Elements 1961, Stockholm, SWEDEN
Anteater 1965, Rotterdam, HOLLAND
Heads and Tails 1965 Berlin, Germany
Tree Leaf 1974, Israel
Untitled, 1968 Lisbon Portugal
Bobbin, 1970, Australia
Eagle 1971, Seattle WA
The Halberdier, 1971 Germany
