UNTITLED 1959

This painting was made by Alexander Calder, and I love how simple it is. You can really see the hand of the artist in the brushwork, which makes it feel really immediate and like you're seeing a moment. The colors are really bold. Look at the black in contrast to the yellow and red, they give it a strong graphic quality. But also look at how that black is painted—it's not just a flat shape, you can see all these little brushstrokes moving around. That's the joy of painting, right? You get to see the thinking and the feeling right there in the material. Notice how the body is rendered: a few simple strokes, but it’s so expressive. The figure's screaming! This simplicity of form reminds me a little of Joan Miró, another artist who knew how to do a lot with very little. And, like Miró, Calder invites us to find our own meanings in his work. There are no right or wrong answers, just the ongoing conversation that is art!