Black, White, and Ten Red 1957

Alexander Calder made this mobile, "Black, White, and Ten Red" out of painted metal. It’s all about balance, right? That’s what strikes me first: the way he orchestrates these simple shapes into a dance. Look at the surface of the black disc, there’s a slight imperfection, like a thumbprint. These shapes aren't slick perfection; they show the hand. It’s like Calder is saying, "Hey, this is made, not born." The colors are so primary, so direct. The ten red discs scattered below carry a playful weight, tethering the black and white in a vibrant conversation. Calder's mobiles are like drawings in space. They remind me of Joan Miró, how he turned his surrealist dreamscapes into tangible forms. It’s all about letting go, about letting the material speak, and embracing the beauty of precarious balance.