alexander
calder

1898–1976

“If you can imagine a thing, conjure it up in space then you can make it... The universe is real but you can't see it. You have to imagine it. Then you can be realistic about reproducing it.”

Bio

Calder was renowned for revolutionizing modern sculpture through his invention of the mobile—kinetic, abstract works that moved with air currents—and the stabile, their stationary counterpart. Trained in engineering before studying art at the Art Students League in New York and later in Paris, Calder began with wire sculptures and miniature circus performances, eventually embracing abstraction. He exhibited internationally, including solo shows at MoMA and the Guggenheim, and received major honors such as the Grand Prize for Sculpture at the 1952 Venice Biennale. His prolific career also included large-scale public commissions, sound-producing “gongs,” and colorful gouaches.