Dots and Crossbar 1969

Alexander Calder made this vibrant painting of simple shapes and lines with paint on paper, but it’s hard to know exactly when. It’s got this playful, spontaneous vibe that just makes you want to grab a brush and dive in. What strikes me first is the directness of the paint application. The colors are bold—red, blue, black, orange—applied in flat, almost graphic shapes. Look closely, and you can see where the paint drips, particularly from the larger circles. It’s like Calder let the paint do its thing, embracing the accidental beauty of the medium. The black lines, thin and wiry, crisscross the surface, creating a sense of movement and energy. They remind me of his mobiles, dancing in the air. This piece really resonates with the work of Joan Miró, another artist who knew how to inject humor and lightness into abstract forms. Like Miró, Calder shows us that art doesn’t always need to be serious or heavy; sometimes, it can just be a joyful expression of color, shape, and line.