LITTLE ARCH [MAQUETTE] 1940

Alexander Calder made this metal sculpture, Little Arch, as a kind of plan, a maquette for a larger work. It looks so simple, a triangle, a curve, a line, all balanced together in black. But, you know, simplicity is hard! The surface is matte, almost powdery, and it looks like he didn't try to hide the joins. Those little rivets are part of the deal. I like that—the making is right there. Look at the triangle, the way it tapers to a point. It’s not perfect. It has a slight wobble. You can see the hand in it. It reminds me that even with something as solid as metal, there's room for improvisation, for a bit of give and take. Calder always makes me think about Joan Miró and the way they both had this playful, almost childlike approach to form. They weren't afraid to make things a little wonky. It's like they were saying, "Hey, art doesn't have to be so serious. Let's have some fun with it."