Alexander Calder Is A Member Of . 21 Facts About Alexander Calder. Biography. Kelly Richman-Abdou is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met. He also made a smaller number of sculptures in the more-traditional materials of wood and bronze and did paintings, mostly in gouache, as well as drawings, including illustrations for books, and prints, and was an inventive designer of jewelry. He also made sculptures that did not move that were called "stabiles." This is a wood, leather, cloth, cork and string kinetic sculpture ; The artist spent much of his career creating sculptures of characters and acts in the circus. Major retrospectives were also held at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Mu… To prepare for this huge undertaking, “Calder created numerous fiberglass models, each painted with different colors and designs,” the Guggenheim explains. Receive our Weekly Newsletter. After undergoing an extensive conservation process over the last year, the museum, along with colleagues at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, celebrates today the rededication of Gwenfritz, a 40-foot tall abstract sculpture by the esteemed American artist Alexander Calder. His mother was a painter, and his father, Alexander Stirling, and grandfather, Alexander Milne, were both well-established sculptors. But Calder particularly recommended himself with his sensational full-body portraits of jazz-era dancer Josephine Baker and bust portraits of many in his Parisian artistic circle, such as Miró, composer Edgard Varèse, and socialite Kiki de Montparnasse. Alexander Calder - Alexander Calder - Mobiles and stabiles: In 1931 Calder married Louisa James, a grandniece of author Henry James; the couple eventually had two children, Sandra and Mary. When she’s not writing, you can find Kelly wandering around Paris, whether she’s leading a tour (as a guide, she has been interviewed by BBC World News America and. lexander Calder, known to his friends as Sandy, was born on 22 July 1898, in Philadelphia, America, to artist parents. Find an in-depth biography, exhibitions, original artworks for sale, the latest news, and sold auction prices. _ Alexander "Sandy" Calder is an American sculptor and artist who most was known for his invention of the mobile- a kinetic sculpture using a piece of rod to create a hanging construction. Like his sculptures, these works on paper often favored an abstract, geometric style. Alexander Stirling Calder was born near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 22, 1898. Though known for his sculpture, Calder worked in a large range of mediums. Two years later, he designed another plane for the airline: Flying Colors of the United States. Omissions? In this list of seven fascinating facts, we explore these pieces—and much more—in order to understand the significance of Calder's life and career. 11 Alexander Calder - Cowboy on a Horse 12 Alexander Calder - Elephant 13 What We Will Be Doing At eight, Calder was creating jewelry for his sister's dolls from beads and copper wire. “It was early one morning on a calm sea, off Guatemala, when over my couch—a coil of rope—I saw the beginning of a fiery red sunrise on one side and the moon looking like a silver coin on the other,” he wrote in 1966. His parents were Nanette Lederer and Alexander Stirling Calder. According to the National Gallery of Art, “he usually cut natural forms that looked like leaves and petals rather than hardedge geometric shapes,” culminating in works aesthetically reminiscent of branches and blossoms. Gallery View Alexander Calder’s 11,830 artworks on artnet. And, over the course his career, Calder created a handful of stage sets for theatrical shows, including avant-garde ballets and modernist dramas from the 1930s through the 1960s. These unique creations were deemed “Mobiles” by Dada master Marcel Duchamp, who appreciated the fact that, in French, mobile means both “motion” and “motive.”. Known as Mobiles, these pieces explore the capabilities of sculpted works by incorporating free movement—an element evident in both his standing object-mobiles and his hanging suspended mobiles. The first aircraft was sold to a leasing firm, while the second rendition was accidentally destroyed during filming for a movie. Alexander Calder Popularity . See available prints and multiples, works on paper, and sculpture for sale and learn about the artist. Given his background in engineering and his interest in motion, Calder accepted the offer. The Paris years: wire and experiments with motion, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alexander-Calder, American Art at The Phillips Collection - Biography of Alexander Calder, Making Art Fun! Navigate parenthood with the help of the Raising Curious Learners podcast. Calder paired this newfound interest in natural movements with a fascination in natural shapes. Alexander Calder, known as Sandy, was born into a long line of sculptors, being part of the fourth generation to take up the art form. He was friends with painter Georgia O'Keeffe. However, following his sudden death that same year, Calder was awarded posthumously. Cancer Sculptor #1. Alexander Calder (Lawton, Philadelphia, 1898 - New York, 1976) was one of the most influential sculptors of the twentieth century. Explore Alexander Calder's biography, personal life, family and cause of death. He created different kinds of wire figures. Associated With. Though he was brought up in an artistic atmosphere, Calder's own inclinations were mechanical. He also created intricate tableaus of circus performers, a subject he had been earlier introduced to as a sketch artist for the National Police Gazette, an influential New York tabloid. Alexander Calder was born in Lawnton, PA on July 22, 1898.American sculptor who was fascinated by the beauty of hanging mobiles. In addition to typical childhood activities, such as school and sports, Calder enjoyed making things. As a member, you'll become a patron and join us in our effort to support the arts. When the ship docked, he picked up some paints and brushes and moved to New York to pursue a career as an artist. Initially Calder resisted “going into the family business.” His extraordinary manual dexterity, evidenced by his boyhood tinkering with hand tools in the creation of toys and other objects, recommended him to a potential career in engineering. Born in Pennsylvania, Calder was interested in creating movable objects from a young age, and graduated from the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ, in 1919, with an engineering degree. Dad Alexander Stirling Calder created many installations in Philadelphia, while mum Nanette was a professional portrait artist. Alexander Calder - Cowboy on Horse. His works are used for a miniature circus too. Alexander Calder Biography, Life, Interesting Facts. After a peripatetic childhood, relocating from Pennsylvania to Arizona, California, and New York as necessitated by his father’s commissions and teaching positions, 17-year-old Calder enrolled in the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey, and received a degree in mechanical engineering in 1919. His father Alexander Stirling Calder was a prominent sculptor who created many public sculptures in the Philadelphia area. Instead, they urged him to attend college, and, in 1921, Calder graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey. Visually fascinating and emotionally engaging, those sculptures—along with his monumental outdoor bolted sheet metal stabiles, which only imply movement—make Calder one of the most-recognizable and beloved modern artists. Recent scholarship, however, suggests Calder’s career was greatly shaped by the making of the mechanical circus performers and his activation of those elements in an imaginary miniature big top. https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/alexander-calder-848/who-is-alexander-calder Alexander Calder was born in Philadelphia in 1898 to a family of artists. First Name Alexander #48. In the 1920s, he began producing paintings and prints. She has specialized in monographic exhibitions, often highlighting artists with a significant relationship... Get exclusive access to content from our 1768 First Edition with your subscription. His grandfather and father were both sculptors, and his mother was a painter. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Please select which sections you would like to print: Corrections? In 1931, he began creating a collection of kinetic sculptures featuring distinct moveable parts. Alexander Calder, Poisson Volant (Flying Fish), 1957, sold at Christie’s in New York for a staggering $25,925,000 in 2014. While in New York, he studied at the Art Students League and worked as an illustrator for the National Police Gazette magazine. While Calder's name is now synonymous with this type of art, his oeuvre is characterized by a range of creative projects, from an early circus-inspired series of sculptures to an aircraft he embellished in the 1970s. Alexander Calder, known to his friends as Sandy, was born into a family of artists on July 22, 1898, in Lawnton – a small census-designated place in Pennsylvania. - Art Library - Biography of Alexander Calder, The Art Story.org - Biography of Alexander Calder, Alexander Calder - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Alexander Calder - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The making of his Kiki of Montparnasse was filmed by Pathé Cinema in 1929. Sculptor #19. His materials would mainly consist of wire and wood. 10 Unusual Facts About Alexander Calder In the 1920s, he began producing paintings and prints. Additionally, these works often accentuate the presence of the wind. Facts about Alexander Calder 1: a miniature circus. Find the latest shows, biography, and artworks for sale by Alexander Calder. In September 1943, when Calder was just 45 years old, MoMA presented Alexander Calder: Sculptures and Constructions, a career survey of the artist’s work which made him the youngest artist at that point to have been given a retrospective. He also created a wide range of monumental metal sculptures that have become practically inextricable from the cities and locations that host them. 2. 9 Abstract Artists Who Changed the Way We Look at Painting, 6 of the Best Modern Art Museums in the World, The Surprisingly Heart-Wrenching History of Robert Indiana’s ‘Love’ Sculptures, Exploring the Experimental and Avant-Garde Art of Surrealism. Alexander Calder (English Alexander Calder, July 22, 1898, Lonton, USA - November 11, 1976, New York, USA) - American sculptor, inventor of the so-called drawing in space and famous mobiles - movable sculptures, which were set in motion by air currents. Though known for his sculpture, Calder worked in a large range of mediums. A post shared by Calder Foundation (@calderfoundation) on Sep 13, 2018 at 2:00pm PDT, Following the success of Cirque Calder, the artist started to produce other works rooted in mechanics. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. He was also interested in gadgets. Floating Clouds (sometimes called Flying Saucers by the artist) is a work of art by American sculptor Alexander Calder, located in the Aula Magna of the University City of Caracas in Venezuela.The 1953 work comprises many 'cloud' panels that are renowned both artistically and acoustically. 'S most colossal commission came later in his distinctive style ( requires login ) your inbox a sculptor s Horrifying... Curious Learners podcast began creating a collection of kinetic sculptures featuring distinct moveable.... Effort to support the arts Calder worked in a large range of monumental metal sculptures that have practically! 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