Abstraction 1966

Alexander Calder made this gouache painting in 1966 using a bright primary palette and bold geometric shapes. It has a playful spirit, doesn’t it? Imagine him, brush in hand, plotting out the composition. Maybe he began with the yellow circle, anchoring the top left corner, before balancing it with that vibrant red triangle. Then the linear elements, the curling snake-like form and the hypnotic spiral, enter the stage. These shapes have a hand-drawn, imperfect quality, which gives the image so much character. The paint is applied flatly, emphasizing the graphic nature of the work, with minimal brushstrokes. It reminds me of Miro and the way he played with biomorphic forms and color. You get the sense that Calder is having a good time here. I bet he was! This piece feels like a joyful experiment, a distillation of form and color into its most essential elements. It’s a reminder that painting can be a space for play, intuition, and open-ended exploration.