Red, Yellow and Maze 1969

Alexander Calder made this gouache painting called 'Red, Yellow and Maze' in 1969 with black lines, a red triangle, and a yellow amoeba. The way the black lines twist and turn, it’s like Calder’s hand was dancing across the page! I imagine he was thinking about motion, like his mobiles, but in two dimensions. You can almost feel the pull and push as your eye tries to follow the lines. Look at the red triangle. It’s such a bold shape, but softened by the imperfect edges. It’s like he’s saying, "I’m here, but I’m also part of this swirling, changing world." The yellow shape, with its rounded form, is like a burst of sunshine peeking through the maze. It is a painting, sure, but it is a painting of sculpture, or painting as sculpture. Painting is always in conversation with itself, with other paintings, and with other art forms. That’s what makes it so exciting. It doesn’t need to be perfect, it just needs to be alive!