LA GRANDE VOILE (THE BIG SAIL) 1965

Alexander Calder made this sculpture, "La Grande Voile," which translates to "The Big Sail", out of metal. Calder's mobiles are like drawings in space, aren't they? This sculpture shares that ethos, embracing line and form but blown up to an architectural scale. Look at how the plates are joined, those rivets are almost like little dashes, building up line and shape with an assertive clunkiness. Up close, the metal's surface has a matte quality; you can almost feel the texture. The black paint absorbs the light, making the edges pop and emphasizing the sculpture’s contours. It reminds me of a deconstructed ship frozen mid-voyage. Calder’s knack for balancing the playful and the monumental brings to mind the work of Joan Miró, another artist who wasn't afraid to embrace a certain childlike wonder. Artmaking is, after all, a process of playful experimentation.