Alexander Calder
Who is Alexander Calder? Alexander Calder was born n Philadelphia, PA in His father was a sculptor and his mother was a painter. He is an artist well known for his mobiles and outdoor, large scale, sheet metal sculptures.
What inspired Alexander Calder? At age 21, degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Stevens Institute of Technology. In 1926, Calder traveled to Paris, France. After seeing the Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus in Paris He made and entire working circus miniature wire figures.
Calder’s Art Community. Hans Arp Joan Miro Man Ray Marcel Duchamp Piet Mondrian
Idea for Mobile. In 1930, Calder visited Mondrian’s studio. Calder liked the primary colors and geometric shapes Mondrian used in his work. Diagonal Composition by Mondrian
New Creation Calder returned to the U. S. and invented and constructed kinetic sculptures. Marcel Duchamp named the sculptures “mobiles” Mobile, 1941 by Calder
Why he created his art? Calder stated, “I want to make things that are fun to look at.” He based much of his work on shapes and objects found in nature. His work has also been used in ballets Choreographed by Martha Graham.
The End of Pioneering Work. Calder died 1976, during his first major retrospective exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. He has left a legacy of his work in museums and public spaces around the world.
Vocabulary Primary Colors: Red, Blue, and Yellow. Space is an empty place or surface in or around a work of art. Space can be two- dimensional, three-dimensional, negative and/or positive. Forms are three-dimensional—they have height, width and thickness. Shapes are flat; forms are not.
Shapes are flat. Some shapes are geometric, such as squares, circles, triangles, rectangles, and ovals. Other shapes are organic or inorganic. Texture is the way something feels when you touch it. Artists also create the illusion of texture in artworks such as paintings, drawings and prints. Focal point- The portion of an artwork's composition on which interest or attention centers.
Rhythm- A visual tempo or beat. The principle of design that refers to a regular repetition of elements of art to produce the look and feel of movement. Balance - A principle of design, it refers to the way the elements of art are arranged to create a feeling of stability in a work Symmetrical- Exact correspondence of form on opposite sides of a dividing line or plane or about a center or an axis. Asymmetrical- Opposite from symmetrical. Kinetic Sculpture- sculpture that is in motion.
Class Project We will be creating our own mobiles using card board geometrical shapes, fishing line, wooden sticks, and wire hangers.
What you need to bring to class: Wire hangers from home. 2 or more Tree branches, or some kind of stick. (be careful not to hit or poke anyone) Any other interesting geometrical objects that you may find and want to add to your mobile.
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