Alexander Calder was enthralled by motion. From his earliest hand-crafted toys to his later wire portraits and dynamic mobiles, Calder was fascinated by the mechanical potential of his materials. His innovative, truly modern art, prints, posters, and sculptures along with the unexpected combination of playful movement built from industrial materials, is a celebration of engineering and art.
An exhibition, honoring the centenary of Calder's birth, spans the artist's career and presents a range of works of art including wire sculptures, mobiles, stabiles, paintings, prints, and posters and jewelry.
In the late 1920s and early 1930s the artist traveled between Paris and New York and established his reputation with his circus performances, wire sculptures, and early mobiles. As with all of these forms, Calder's interest in kinetic motion,whether in sculpture or performance, became increasingly apparent in his art, prints and posters. An in-depth study of these particular years, what one might call his breakthrough years, provides a portrait of Calder's creative progress.