Rearing Stallion 1928

Alexander Calder animated a length of wire into this rearing stallion. I love the way that Calder’s line seems to dance in the air. When I look at this sculpture, I think about the challenge of rendering three dimensions in two, and then flipping it by conjuring three dimensions from a single line. Each bend and twist of the wire captures something essential about the horse. The loops and curls are so playful. I can almost see Calder, with his signature wit, bending the wire in his hands, coaxing the horse into existence. There's a sense of movement and energy, a feeling of a horse captured in mid-motion, pawing at the ground, ready to bolt. Calder, like many artists, found inspiration in the world around him, transforming ordinary materials into something extraordinary. This work reminds us that art is often about seeing the world in new ways and finding beauty in unexpected places.