Odd Man Out 1969

Alexander Calder made "Odd Man Out" with ink, probably around 1969. I love the bold shapes and simple palette of this piece. It feels so immediate, like Calder was just playing around and letting his intuition guide him. The figures are so dynamic, with their quirky limbs and expressive gestures. The thick black ink creates a strong contrast against the white background, making the shapes really pop. The odd man out, slumped in the corner, looks so forlorn against the flower like sun. I wonder what he’s thinking? It reminds me a bit of Joan Miró's playful abstractions, but with Calder's signature sense of humor and whimsy. Artmaking is a conversation across time. Sometimes the conversation is silly! Calder seems to be asking us to embrace the unexpected, to find joy in the everyday, and to never take ourselves too seriously.