Many Crucifixions 1964

Alexander Calder made this watercolour painting in 1964 with fluid brushstrokes that let the colours bleed together, a process of controlled chaos, very intuitive. The red in "Many Crucifixions" lays down a foundation for these drips of blue and black to fall down the page in vertical lines. The surface of the paper is stained, so the material qualities are very apparent, which is something I'm drawn to. These marks are not so dissimilar from the mobiles that Calder is more famous for, there's a freedom in the application and the colour palette is very immediate. Think of Cy Twombly’s paintings that combine gesture, colour, and a sense of play. It’s that embrace of chance and open-endedness that makes art so alive.