Dolmens 1971

Curator: Looking at "Dolmens," painted in 1971 by Alexander Calder with acrylic paint, I immediately perceive a dynamic interplay between bold forms and a kind of underlying structural chaos. Editor: It strikes me as primal—these upright shapes against a darker backdrop. They almost feel like guardians. Is it fair to draw parallels to standing stones, to the very dolmens referenced in the title? Curator: I think it's productive to look at that possible allusion, definitely. Consider the era: the '70s. This wasn't merely abstraction for abstraction's sake; this was often about reclaiming historical and cultural narratives. We have this pop art style paired with ancient architectural imagery...What’s being asserted here, and how do we re-evaluate such cultural symbols through the lens of modernity? Editor: It’s fascinating how Calder employs such rudimentary forms - ovals of pure colour, juxtaposed with stark black lines. There is something so deeply coded about basic shapes like that – and combined with colour – how can it not bring something forward that echoes the earliest cave paintings? Perhaps he sought a visual language stripped bare, resonant with a shared symbolic past. The choice to flatten all the elements in this fashion makes one aware of the two-dimensionality - the painting itself, its 'surface' and artifice are apparent...it’s not meant to replicate realism. Curator: Exactly. The use of high-key colors characteristic of Pop Art can be regarded as a political assertion, breaking from what hegemonic artistic structures deem valid, reclaiming authorship, especially for artists from marginalized communities. Editor: Looking at Calder's other work, these shapes resemble some that appear on his mobiles. I think, therefore, it may also be a clue to understand what’s important. Curator: Yes, I see. When considering how Calder mobilized these aesthetic traditions, we gain insights into his cultural engagement. Editor: To reflect a little further: The tension of the stark, simplified color set against organic-feeling imagery and what may allude to dolmens opens interesting emotional connections, perhaps concerning endurance, or the echo of humanity through time. Curator: Agreed. "Dolmens" certainly provides a fascinating perspective when explored within its sociopolitical environment.