The Blue C 1969

Alexander Calder made this painting, full of blue, orange, and yellow shapes, in 1969. Can you imagine him there, with his paper flat, maybe on the floor, and pots of paint all around? I see the process as an experiment with chance and control. The dark splatters and drips tell one story, and the carefully drawn circles tell another. Look how the black lines radiate out like the spokes of a wheel. Maybe Calder was thinking about his mobiles when he made this. I can imagine him gently pushing the brush around, coaxing the paint to do his bidding. The blue "C" shape anchors the bottom and gives the work its name. The black star-like figure feels like a signature flourish. I see echoes of Miró in Calder's playful biomorphism. They are like old friends riffing off each other’s ideas. What a joy it is to see artists in dialogue across time!