Artist Alexander Calder was the originator of the mobile. By suspending forms that move with the flow of air, Calder revolutionised sculpture. It was Marcel Duchamp who dubbed these works ‘mobiles’. Rather than a solid object of mass and weight, they continually redefine the space around them as they move. Calder’s subtle balance of form and colour resulted in works that suggest an animated version of paintings by friends such as Joan Miró.
Mobile
A mobile is a type of sculpture that is formed of delicate components which are suspended in the air and move in response to air currents or motor power
related terms and concepts
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Who is Alexander Calder?
In anticipation of the Alexander Calder's retrospective at Tate Modern, we take a look at his highly unique artistic career.
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Poem of the month: Butterfly Antennae
Poem of the Month, Butterfly Antennae by James Midgley, TATE ETC issue 21
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Archive
12 items
Collection owner: Nigel Henderson Contact sheet and negative roll number 64
[c.1949–c.1956] -
Restoring Kenneth Martin’s Mobile Reflector 1955
Restoring Kenneth Martin’s Mobile Reflector 1955
selected artists in the collection
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Alexander Calder
1898–1976 -
Julio Le Parc
born 1928 -
Lynn Chadwick
1914–2003 -
William Turnbull
1922–2012
selected artworks in the collection
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Alexander Calder Antennae with Red and Blue Dots
c.1953 -
Joan Miró Painting
1927 -
Kenneth Martin Small Screw Mobile
1953 -
Lynn Chadwick Stabile with Mobile Elements
1950 -
Julio Le Parc Continual Mobile, Continual Light
1963 -
William Turnbull Mobile Stabile
1949