Baseball 1966

Alexander Calder created 'Baseball' with ink and watercolor on paper. Isn’t the character of this piece great? The watercolor is applied with such a thin consistency that it runs down the page in rivulets like tears or sweat. I love the way Calder embraced the behaviour of the medium, rather than trying to control it. It’s like, ‘hey, I’m gonna make a drawing, but the materials have a mind of their own, so I’m gonna let them do their thing’. The thin, washy quality of the watercolor contrasts with the heavier lines of ink. Zoom in on the spiral eyes of the figure in the centre. They seem to stare out at the viewer, with a crazy, hypnotised expression. The drips also have their own crazy logic. I can imagine this piece as a study for a larger sculpture, which makes sense considering Calder’s practice. It reminds me of some of Picasso’s more cartoonish figure drawings. With art, it’s all one big conversation.