Odd Man Out 1969

Here is the audio guide script: Alexander Calder made this painting "Odd Man Out" in 1969 using gouache on paper. It is composed of black figures on an off-white ground with a red shape in the top right. The painting came into being through Calder's exploration of positive and negative space. The flat forms are made through intuition, and the medium of paint allows us to engage with the material qualities of the surface. Imagine Calder working swiftly, using a brush to freely build up these shapes on the paper. What’s so striking to me is how the black silhouettes interact with the empty space surrounding them, creating a dynamic tension and rhythm. It’s like the figures are dancing, and the red shape adds a burst of energy. But then I see this isolated figure in the lower right corner. Calder is maybe playing with the theme of alienation. His use of line and form makes me think of Miró, with its playful approach to abstraction. Artists like Calder were in an ongoing conversation, exchanging ideas across time, and inspiring each other. Embracing ambiguity, there are multiple ways of reading this painting.