Soleil noir 1968

This bold image by Alexander Calder from 1968, a black sun on a white ground, is like a cosmic doodle, a playful glyph. I wonder about the moment when Calder made this, what he was thinking, or if he was just sort of riffing, letting his hand do the work. The black is laid down with confidence and a touch of humor. It’s almost cartoonish, with those simple white shapes suggesting a face, or maybe a mask. I love how the thick strokes of the black radiate outwards, like a sun, but they also feel like tentacles. Calder was, of course, best known for his mobiles, and you can see that sense of movement and balance in this static image. You can imagine him playing with the shapes, adjusting the composition, until it felt just right. It reminds me that artists are always in conversation with each other, even across generations. And with himself! This piece is a reminder that even in simplicity, there is room for endless interpretation, for finding something new each time you look.