Learning more about Calder

*I would like to note that I wrote 'Jonathan Calder' instead of Alexander Calder in my previous post.  The error has been fixed.  I don't know why I get those two names mixed up so often.

Anyway, I went to the opening weekend of Alexander Calder and Contemporary Art: Form, Balance, Joy last weekend, and it was amazing!  It was a small show with a good collection of Calder's mobiles and three other contemporary artists' works who were very much influenced by his style.

I had always thought that Calder's sculptures and mobiles were hyper-modern and industrial given his use of sheet metal and wire, but this exhibit helped me see how organic and natural his forms and shapes really were.  One mobile in particular, "Nineteen White Discs," made me think of the sculptural leaves of an eucalyptus tree.

Alexander Calder, "Nineteen White Discs" sheet metal and wire, 1961

Image from www.plantoftheweek.org

One other piece of information I found interesting was that Calder's work was largely dismissed in the '90s by the art world.  I'm starting to learn that a piece of art is not in museums just because of its beauty or its strong statement, but as in everything else, politics, power, and economics come into play as to who and what gets wall space.  If you think about it, the people in power in the art world are still old, white men so there are stories, points of view, and experiences we can miss out on as a result. 

Don't get me wrong--I love what museums and galleries offer to the public, and my life has been enriched as a result--but if you had to think of five female artists and five non-white artists, who comes to mind?   

Well, one practical idea I had to address these questions was to write regularly about new artists I discover, especially those not in the mainstream for lack of a better word.  I already have a working list so I look forward to my future posts!  Thanks to those who have kept up with my posts!