Yellow Moon Face 1970

Editor: Here we have Alexander Calder's "Yellow Moon Face" from 1970, painted with acrylic. It has this almost playful quality to it with the bright colors and simplified shapes, like something from a really cool mobile. How do you interpret this work? Curator: It’s funny you mention mobiles because I instantly think about the universe when I see this. To me, it's a childlike rendition of stars, planets, and a mischievous moon hanging suspended in space. There’s something so joyous in the lack of rigidity; it's all playful freedom. Don't you think that liberating sense of childish freedom in art is really… radical? Editor: It's unexpected! Given that Calder is a Modernist, I wouldn't immediately think “childlike." There are some strong hints of Pop Art too. How do you reconcile that? Curator: Well, the beauty of Calder is he can be both sophisticated and utterly whimsical, sometimes simultaneously! He blends a love for line and colour harkening back to Miro with this commercial art aesthetic that was becoming increasingly pervasive in the 60's and 70's. Did you notice there aren’t many overlapping shapes? Everything has its own space to breathe, coexisting in this celestial ballet. Editor: That's a cool reading of the composition as celestial. It is kind of amazing how much personality he manages to get into something as simple as a yellow moon! I think I’ll remember to look for the blend of whimsy and intention now. Curator: Exactly! Calder lets us float a little, reminding us art doesn't always have to take itself so seriously. Never lose that lightness when looking at art, will you?