Le Courbeau et la renard 1968

Alexander Calder made this painting using ink on paper, sometime around 1968. It's like he's doodling with purpose! The bold use of black and red gives a real graphic punch, and the application is so immediate, you can almost see Calder’s hand moving across the page. Take a look at how the red circles hover with those drippy stems – they almost feel like they’re floating just above the surface, anchored by gravity and chance. It's like Calder's letting the ink do its thing, embracing the unpredictable nature of the medium. The crow and the fox rendered in simple, playful strokes are so evocative, and full of character. It reminds me a bit of Joan Miró, another artist who wasn't afraid to embrace playful abstraction. There’s this shared sense of freedom, a willingness to let the imagination run wild and to find beauty in the simplest of forms. Art doesn't always have to make sense, it just has to make you feel something.