ACROBATS 1927

This sculpture by Alexander Calder is all about line and space, or maybe line *as* space. The figures are made from wire, bent and twisted into acrobatic poses, balanced on a little black plinth. There’s something playful about Calder’s line, how it captures the essence of movement with such simple means. It reminds me of drawing with a single, continuous line, letting the form emerge intuitively. Look how the wire loops and curves, suggesting volume and weight with just a few gestures. It’s like a dance in the air. Calder was all about bringing art to life, making it move and interact with its surroundings, which, for me, puts him in conversation with contemporary artists like Rebecca Warren, who is also interested in the interplay of form and space. With this piece, the space *is* the form! It’s a reminder that art doesn’t always have to be solid and fixed. Sometimes, it can be light and airy, full of possibility.