Les Trois Barres, 1970
Painted steel, aluminum
5,77 x 6,1 x 5,39 m
Van de Weghe, New York
Grand Palais
Among the most important sculptors of the twentieth century alongside Brancusi and Giacometti, Alexander Calder pioneered the Modernist conception of space, paving the way for the expanded field of sculpture in contemporary practice later in the century. Working with metal, wire, paint, and sometimes wood, Calder made over 4000 objects, from miniature to monumental, during a career that spanned six decades. He also collaborated with others on theatrical productions and architectural interiors. Les Trois Barres is one of Calder’s exceptional monumental sculptures. This hanging mobile perfectly demonstrates his unique blend of abstraction and surrealism. The work requires an elaborate organization of weights and balances, and depends on the intensity of the wind to arrange its composition.
Photo: Marc Domage