alexander calder's mobiles

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) = a place I LOVE to visit!!! I was excited to receive an email this morning re: the SFMOMA family studio and the Alexander Calder's "Magnificent Mobile" exhibit. In case you are unfamiliar with his work, here are a few fun pictures:

 

A picture of one of Calder's mobiles that Jesse took at the National Gallery of Art, during our trip to Washington D.C. in 2005.

National Gallery III (maquette), 1972

untitled, 1976 (29 ft x 76 ft)

Alexander Calder, 1928

Original forms of mobiles are fun to see...especially when they span over 76 ft. :) (In french, mobile means = movement & motive.)

If you haven't heard of Alexander Calder, he was one of America's most prolific and innovative artists of the twentieth century. I first learned about him in an art history class, at Cuesta College, that I took before Emma was born. We were shown a film in class titled Calder's Circus. (Click here to see a short clip of it.) He created an entire circus out of wire and other found objects, and engineered them to walk tight ropes and other exciting movements. (click here to see more of his work.)

Something fun to know about Alexander Calder = Calder was encouraged to create, and from the age of EIGHT he always had his own workshop wherever the family lived. He was the second child of artistic parents...his father was a sculptor & his mother was a painter. He went on to receive and engineering degree and later came back to the field of art. I'm sure that knowledge he gained in engineering helped him develop his love for and ability to create such amazing sculptures. (click here to learn more about his life.)