UNTITLED (MONKEY) 1925

This little paper monkey was drawn by Alexander Calder, using ink on paper. Look at how confidently Calder applies the ink, each stroke swelling and tapering, thick to thin, it's all so juicy. This isn't just a drawing, it's a performance. The ink sits right on the surface, unapologetically bold. There’s no attempt to blend or create an illusion of depth. The black ink against the raw paper is a reminder of the materials. See the tail, how it curls? It is echoed in the shape of the head. I love how the little scribbles suggesting a paw mimic that curly-Q tail. The essence of ‘monkey-ness’ is captured with just a few marks. Calder was a pal of Miro, and this ink drawing reminds me of Miro's simplified surrealist figures, both delighting in the poetry of line, and the playful spirit of art-making as a conversation across time and space.