Mystery 1963

Alexander Calder created this gouache painting, sometime around 1963, with simple shapes and runny paint. I just love his approach to artmaking, it feels so free. He embraces the process, letting the paint do its thing, which gives it this really cool, almost accidental quality. Looking at the surface, you can really see the physicality of the medium. The red background is like a wash, thin and transparent, while the circles are more opaque. And those black marks! They’re like little explosions, splattering across the surface. It’s as if he dripped the paint and then let gravity take over, creating these organic, branching forms. They remind me of Rorschach blots, inviting you to see something in their abstract shapes. I'm reminded of Joan Miró, both artists share that playful, anything-goes approach. Ultimately, it's up to you to decide what this "Mystery" is all about, and that's the beauty of art, right?