Escargot c. 1971

Alexander Calder’s ‘Escargot’ features a vibrant spiral form, its bright colors calling to mind the unbridled joy of creation, a pure expression of life. This spiral, so reminiscent of a snail's shell, draws us back through time. Since antiquity, spirals have appeared everywhere - from the labyrinthine decorations of Minoan Crete to the swirling patterns of Celtic art. They represent growth, evolution, and the very cycle of life itself. The way the spiral winds inward evokes a sense of introspection and the unfolding of the human psyche. Consider, for example, the recurring spiral motifs in ancient petroglyphs and their appearance in scientific diagrams of galaxies. It is hard to ignore how the same basic form surfaces across vastly different cultural and historical contexts. Through Calder's rendering, we are drawn into a meditation on the continuous rebirth and renewal inherent in existence. The image invites us to reflect on our shared human experiences and the symbols that bind us across time.