ARTY FISH: Alexander Calder's fish - Élhée

ARTY FISH: Alexander Calder's fishes

Alexander Calder

Following in the footsteps of his parents and grandfather, themselves famous artists, Alexander Calder was immersed in an artistic world from an early age. As a child, he had his own workshop, where he created jewelry for his little sister and seats for his wheeled car. From an early age, he was fascinated by movement, rotation and lightness.

Over the years, Calder has always retained a childlike spirit, and although he has produced numerous sculptures, paintings, jewelry... he is best known for his mobiles, veritable aerial works created from wire and aluminum sheet.
He sculpts spheres, arcs and spirals at the end of long rods, creating a levitating world full of poetry. He used to say:

"For most people who look at a mobile, it's just a series of flat objects that move. For a few, however, it can be poetry."

Artist Alexandre Calder making a mobile

It's all a game of balance, balances and counterweights that make geometric objects dance in space. Calder's sculptures are often inspired by the marine world. We're obviously thinking of the most famous:

"Lobster Trap and Fish Tail (1939), Steel Fish (1934), Flying Fish (1957), Fish Pull toy (1960)

"When everything is going well, a mobile is a poem that dances with the joy of life and its surprises".

    

Flying Fish (1957) - Alexander Calder

Flying Fish (1957) - Alexander Calder

Fish Pull toy (1960) - Alexander Calder

Fish Pull toy (1960) - Alexander Calder

Steel Fish (1934) - Alexander Calder

Steel Fish (1934) - Alexander Calder

Lobster and Fish Tail (1939) - Alexander Calder

 

Lobster and Fish Tail (1939) - Alexander Calder

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