Boulder Pile 1962

Alexander Calder made this gouache painting, Boulder Pile, with bold colors and strong shapes in 1962. Imagine him there with his brushes and pots of paint! You know, the way he’s layered those primary colours is so striking. Red, yellow, blue, all outlined in black like some kind of awesome cartoon. And what about that big black splodge up top? It’s like a cloud or a shadow looming over everything, but it’s balanced by the warm orange glow behind those shapes, creating an intense contrast! I can almost feel the weight of those "boulders," but there’s also a lightness to them. They float across the surface. Calder was so good at this, making these abstract forms feel playful. The painting feels really immediate, like he just went for it without overthinking. He probably had to stop himself from adding even more! It feels as though Calder is having a conversation with the likes of Miró. It makes you wonder what they talked about. Ultimately, this is an invitation to engage in an artwork that embraces possibilities.