Six White Orbs 1975

Alexander Calder gave us "Six White Orbs," probably on paper, and most likely in 1975. It’s all about these playful floating shapes. There’s something so direct about Calder’s mark-making, a kind of joyful simplicity. Look at the way he lays down the colors: bold primaries, thick black outlines, all creating a real sense of movement. You can almost feel him at work here, deciding where the lines should go, how much color to add, and then deciding, *that’s it!* I love how the black lines become both structure and decoration, and how the orbs become little blank windows, inviting you to project your own ideas in. The little pops of red, yellow, and blue underneath give them a nice grounding. It all reminds me of Joan Miró, but with Calder’s signature sense of whimsy. It’s a reminder that art can be serious fun.