Toward the Planets 1968

Alexander Calder made this gouache painting, Toward the Planets, with loose brushstrokes and a playful spirit. I imagine Calder in his studio, swirling the brush to create the sun and planets. There’s this lovely, vibrant red and yellow sun that dominates the upper part of the composition. I really admire Calder's approach to colour; he's not trying to blend it perfectly but lets the hues stand alone, creating these radiant halos. The black oval shapes floating across the paper suggest movement and direction. Are they satellites, asteroids, or just abstract forms suggesting the unknown? The small blue planet in the lower right feels like an afterthought, or maybe the beginning of another journey. He’s probably thinking about Miro, and Klee. All these guys inspire one another. Each painting is a kind of experiment. Artists build on one another’s ideas. I think it is a good idea to embrace the ambiguity. I like that feeling.