Reversing Spiral 1971

Here we have Alexander Calder's "Reversing Spiral", a really lively gouache that looks like it happened pretty fast. I can just picture Calder in his studio, maybe music playing, and these spirals just appear, bold and kind of off-kilter, which is the best way to be, right? The black spirals against those flat planes of primary colors—red, yellow, and blue—it’s so simple, almost like a kid’s book, but the energy is all grown-up. I love how the paint isn't too precious; you can see the strokes, the hand of the artist. Those spiraling lines feel like thoughts in motion, looping back on themselves, never quite settling. Calder was so good at making things move, even on a flat surface. And I love how that big red ground really holds it all together, giving the eye a place to rest amongst all that energy. It's the kind of painting that reminds you to just start, to let things unfold, and not worry too much about where they're going.