In the Circus c. 1936

Alexander Calder made "In the Circus" with ink and collage on paper. Calder knew a thing or two about process, I mean you can’t build those gravity defying sculptures without a healthy dose of experimentation. Look at the way he’s got the black lines dancing and bending, like they’re suspended in air. These lines, and the flat shapes that he’s collaged on, create a push-and-pull effect. There’s depth but it’s also flat, it almost becomes this abstract, non-sensical space. The yellow almost feels like it’s radiating from the black shape, like a spotlight in a ring. He’s really working in the language of improvisation here. It reminds me of Miró, that same sense of playfulness and lightness, but with Calder, there’s this sense of engineering and precision that really grounds it. The ambiguity feels intentional, open. It's not about telling you what to think, but inviting you into the game.