Tricolor Onion 1971

Editor: So, this is Alexander Calder’s "Tricolor Onion," painted in 1971. It's an acrylic on canvas, and it’s just… playful, isn't it? I'm struck by how he creates this sense of depth and movement with simple shapes. What do you make of it? Curator: Playful is the perfect word! For me, Calder always feels like a visual poet. It's like he’s taken a vegetable, this humble onion, and turned it into a whimsical dance of color and form. Don’t you find it interesting how the primary colours pop against that stark white backdrop, almost as if they're leaping off the canvas? And yet, they're anchored by these strong, meandering lines. Does it remind you of anything? Editor: Hmm… maybe like a jazz composition? Structured, but with improvisational flair? Curator: Exactly! Like a melodic riff. Calder had such an intuitive grasp of how to balance chaos and order. Look at how those floating orbs—I think of them almost as musical notes—are strategically placed. They guide your eye around the canvas, preventing the central onion form from feeling too static. What feelings does the image provoke for you? Editor: Definitely joy, but also a bit of… organized whimsy? If that makes sense! I also see hints of Miró in there, maybe? Curator: Absolutely! Miró, and perhaps a touch of Kandinsky’s colour theory. Calder was soaking it all in, but always making it his own. It makes me think, if I was an onion, I'd want to be this one – complex, vibrant, and just a little bit quirky. Editor: I agree. I'll never look at an onion the same way again! This was enlightening.