Twining Black 1971

Alexander Calder made "Twining Black" in 1971. The bright colors and simple shapes feel like an experiment. I love the directness of the marks, how you can almost see his hand moving across the page. There’s something playful about the way the black line twists and turns, connecting the shapes. It’s as though Calder is letting his intuition guide him, creating a dance between the elements. The yellow feels really immediate, a backdrop to the floating shapes that are mostly red and some blue down at the bottom. The way the colors are laid down, not blended or fussed over, is so honest. There is a realness to the surface. He's not trying to hide anything, but just letting the materials speak for themselves. I can imagine Joan Miró enjoying this painting - the pared back visual language! It's like they were both in on a secret about how much you can say with so little. With painting, it's not about having all the answers, but about embracing the questions.