Avec Cigare 1965

Alexander Calder made this gouache on paper painting called “Avec Cigare” in 1965. It’s all about these simple shapes and their relationships to each other. I find his limited color palette – red, black, and a touch of blue – and straightforward approach to mark making so joyful. Calder’s works always feel like a form of playful engineering. Looking at the surface, you can almost feel the brushstrokes moving across the paper. The paint isn’t overworked; it's direct. The red shape at the bottom, kinda cigar-like, anchors the whole composition. It’s like a grounding force for the other shapes to float around. There’s a kinship here with Joan Miró's playful abstraction. Both artists share a love for simple forms and a sense of humor in their work. Calder invites us to see the world with a sense of lightness, always open to the unexpected.