If, like us, you thought you had seen all there is of Alexander Calder, think again. The iconic American artist is the subject of a new exhibition at New York's Venus Over Manhattan gallery that is uniquely staged in the dark.
Organised with the support of the Calder Foundation, 'Calder Shadows' is a seductive new take on Calder's recognisable creations, which still upholds the principles of abstraction and kinetics that he championed throughout his career.
Presented in an austere, dimly lit space, the exhibition sees eleven works, from 1929 to 1974, ingeniously spot-lit so that each accompanying shadow comes fully into view. Delicate mobiles like 'The New Ritou' (1948) and 'Little Black Flower' (1944) – a privately held piece that represents Calder's mature style and has not been exhibited since the 1940s – hang quietly while larger, ominous shadows loom behind. Thin metal wires are transformed into animated line drawings that oscillate and turn with the slightest movement of air, highlighting the kinetic aspect of Calder's work.
The novel display was inspired by archival images of Calder installing his sculptures in darkness and photographing them using directed light. The images caught the eye of the gallery's founder Adam Lindemann, who decided to reorientate Calder's familiar aesthetic. 'I wanted to somehow evoke Calder as I see him,' he explains. 'I wanted to get in touch with the emotional way that I see these pieces move and stand still.'
In the darkened gallery, even stationary works like 'Mr Loyal (Ringmaster)' (1967) and 'Red Curlicue' (1973) have a larger-than-life presence. Both are maquettes, which reveal a little about how Calder sought to resolve scale issues when he designed his monumental stabiles.
Backed by an instrumental soundtrack, 'Calder Shadows' embodies the qualities of abstraction and exploration that the artist became known for. 'Experimentation is part of Calder's work,' says Lindemann. 'There are the films and the performance aspect of the circus [theme], and so the theatricality that I have brought to it is consistent with Calder's mood and his own spirit.'
The novel display was inspired by archival images of Calder installing his sculptures in darkness and photographing them using directed light. The images caught the eye of the gallery's founder, Adam Lindemann, who decided to reorientate Calder's familiar aesthetic
'I wanted to somehow evoke Calder as I see him,' says Lindemann. 'I wanted to get in touch with the emotional way that I see these pieces move and stand still'
In the darkened gallery, even stationary works like 'Monsieur Loyal (Ringmaster)', 1967, pictured here, and 'Red Curlicue', 1973 have a larger-than-life presence. Both are maquettes, which reveal a little about how Calder sought to resolve scale issues when he designed his monumental stabiles
'Red Curlicue' [maquette], 1973
'Little Black Flower', 1944. This privately held piece has not been exhibited since the 1940s
The works featured range in date from 1929 to 1974, with this piece called 'Untitled', from 1939
Backed by an instrumental soundtrack, 'Calder Shadows' embodies the qualities of abstraction and experimentation that the artist became known for
'Ex-Octopus', 1936, is graphically magnified in size on the wall
The shadow of 'Morning Cobweb' [intermediate maquette], 1967, becomes even more menacing with project
'Untitled', 1929, is constructed of thin metal wires that are transformed into an animated line drawing, which oscillates and turns with the slightest movement of air, highlighting the kinetic aspect of Calder's work
ADDRESS
Venus Over Manhattan
980 Madison Avenue
New York
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