Overview

One of the most beloved American artists of the last century, Alexander Calder reimagined sculpture as an experiment in space and motion. He upended centuries-old notions that sculpture should be static, grounded, and dense by making artworks that often move freely, interacting with their surroundings. Calder's ever-changing artworks invite a viewer's sustained attention; over the course of many decades, The Museum of Modern Art provided a setting for this productive exchange. Alexander Calder: Modern from the Start looks at Calder's work through the lens of his connection with MoMA, taking as a point of departure the idea that Calder assumed the unofficial role of the Museum's ""house artist"" during its formative years. His work was first exhibited at MoMA in 1930, months after the institution opened its doors, and he was among only a handful of artists selected by the Museum's founding director, Alfred H. Barr Jr., for inclusion in his two landmark 1936 exhibitions, Cubism and Abstract Art and Fantastic Art, Dada, Surrealism. He was called upon to produce several commissioned works-including Lobster Trap and Fish Tail, a multicolored mobile that hangs in the same stairwell for which it was made in 1939-and his sculptures have been a mainstay of the Museum's galleries and Sculpture Garden ever since. Following a loose chronology, the catalogue presents examples from the full scope of Calder's work, from the earliest wire sculptures of the 1920s through the largescale mono- and polychrome stabiles and standing mobiles of his later years. An essay by curator Cara Manes traces Calder's rich relationship with MoMA, fueled by new research from the archives of the Museum and the Calder Foundation.

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9781633451162

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Reviews

Released in conjunction with MoMA's retrospective, 'Alexander Calder: Modern from the Start' is an in-depth and endearing look at the relationship between the museum and one of the greatest American artists of all time. His work first appeared in the museum in 1930, just 1 year after its founding, under the direction of Alfred H. Barr, Jr. and has been shown regularly since; one of the most fruitful institution/artist relationships on record.--Allison Schaller Vanity Fair A striking [book] celebrates the sculptor and his long association with the museum, in work that ranges from his inventive jewelry to his massive mobiles.--Lance Esplund Wall Street Journal Incorporate[d] motion, repurposed objects, and a sense of whimsy in his works...--Diana Kim Mommy Poppins Calder exemplifies the free spirit in modern sculpture... this book ... show[s] the earliest wire sculptures that helped launch Calder's career through his exploration into animated and monumental works.--Doug King Patron Offers new insight into the resourceful and creative artist.--Soren Larson Reuters

Calder exemplifies the free spirit in modern sculpture... this book ... show[s] the earliest wire sculptures that helped launch Calder's career through his exploration into animated and monumental works.--Doug King Patron Offers new insight into the resourceful and creative artist.--Soren Larson Reuters

A striking [book] celebrates the sculptor and his long association with the museum, in work that ranges from his inventive jewelry to his massive mobiles.--Lance Esplund Wall Street Journal Incorporate[d] motion, repurposed objects, and a sense of whimsy in his works...--Diana Kim Mommy Poppins Calder exemplifies the free spirit in modern sculpture... this book ... show[s] the earliest wire sculptures that helped launch Calder's career through his exploration into animated and monumental works.--Doug King Patron Offers new insight into the resourceful and creative artist.--Soren Larson Reuters

Author Information

Cara Manes is Associate Curator in the Department of Painting and Sculpture at The Museum of Modern Art, New York. After studying engineering Alexander Calder moved to Paris in the late 1920s, where he found himself at the center of the city's artistic avant-garde. There, he developed his Cirque Calder, a performance artwork comprising dozens of miniature handmade objects, and a group of standalone figurative works in wire. Turning toward abstraction in 1930, Calder invented the mobile-an abstract sculpture made of independent parts that incorporate natural or mechanical movement. He would continue to explore the possibilities of this abstract visual language for the rest of his career, eventually shifting to monumental constructions and public works. Calder maintained a very close relationship with The Museum of Modern Art throughout the institution's foundational years; in 1943, his work was introduced to a broad audience through a mid-career retrospective at MoMA.

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