Soleil noir 1968

Alexander Calder made this gouache on paper, called "Soleil Noir," sometime in his lifetime, probably pretty quickly. You can tell because it's all about bold moves, like a dance across the surface. I love how the black ink sits right on top – it's thick, it's almost velvety, and you can practically see the brushstrokes. Calder’s economy with the color is great. The black is dense, opaque, contrasted to the bare paper of the smiling mouth and the eyes, which, together, really let the composition breathe. Look at the tendrils, how some curl inward and some flick out. To me, the simplicity of the image is reminiscent of Joan Miró, but you know, a little darker, a bit more devilish. It’s this balance – between playful and sinister – that makes me want to keep looking. There's a conversation here, about how something can be both fun and a little unsettling at the same time.