Curriculum Materials: Art in America
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Image 24 Alexander Calder Questions: |
Mobiles
In 1930, Calder began to
experiment with incorporating actual motion into abstract
constructions. Calder's first moving
sculptures, called "mobiles" by a fellow artist, were
propelled by hand cranks and electric motors.
Calder soon became dissatisfied with
the predictability of the repeated motions of these
mechanical sculptures. In 1932, deciding that only air
currents could provide the element of chance that he wanted
to incorporate, he created a free-floating mobile
constructed from balanced metal rods and disks. The mobile's
many pieces rotated at varied speeds and in different
configurations, depending on the strength and direction of
air currents.
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