ALEXANDER CALDER , American, Sculptor Born- Lawnton, PA, Died- New York City, NY Originator of the Mobile

CALDER ■Invented the mobile- a type of moving sculpture with delicately balanced or suspended shapes that move with the air ■Many of Calder’s sculptures are very large or monumental ■He called ones that were stationary “stabiles” ■He also produced wire figures

CALDER ■He came from a family of artists, both his grandfather and father were also sculptors ■His mother was a professional portrait artist, and his sister Margaret helped develop the museum at UC Berkeley ■His parents were very encouraging of his creativity and allowed him to use their cellar as his work space ■Top- Grandpa, Alexander Milne Calder with sculpture of William Penn ■Bottom- Dad, Alexander Stirling Calder, his sculpture of George Washington

CALDER ■Because he parents prized his artistic talent, and saved his work we have very early examples ■These were created when he was 11, in ■Despite his interest in art he went on to study mechanical engineering

CALDER ■Calder’s moving sculptures were a conscious departure from the work of his father and grandfather ■He was trying to dispute the traditional idea that sculpture was solid and static ■The name “mobiles” was given to his work by a French artist, Marcel DuChamp” meaning motion and motive.

CALDER ■Monumental sculptures- Calder began designing these after trying to construct outdoor mobiles ■They were too delicate to withstand strong winds

CALDER ■He also invented wire sculptures, which he called “drawing in space” ■Like a 3D line drawing ■His work can be seen at several museums in NY (the Whitney, the Guggenheim, MOMA,) and in the National Gallery in Washington D.C.