The Fawn 1944

Alexander Calder made this playful sculpture called 'The Fawn'. It's almost bone-like in its whiteness. I wonder what it was like for Calder to make this. Did he start with wire, bending and shaping, finding the form slowly? I can imagine him nudging it this way and that, coaxing it into being. The texture is so alive, almost like rough skin. I’m drawn to how the legs splay out, supporting the weight of the body, and the head is up and alert, triangles within triangles. It's related to Calder's other work, all about finding balance and movement in the most unexpected ways. It reminds me of Joan Miro too. They were all in conversation, exploring how to make art that felt light and free. We can’t know for sure what any of this means. And, as with painting, the mystery is maybe more exciting than any fixed meaning.