Curriculum Materials: Art in America



Image 24

Alexander Calder
(1898-1976)
Ahab


Key Points

Essays:
About the Artist
Mobiles
About this Object

Questions:
Look Questions
Think Questions



Think Questions

1. What do you think this MOBILE represents? What makes you think so? Does the title Ahab give you any clues?

2. Calder intended that this MOBILE evoke aspects of the natural world. How does he accomplish this goal? Consider: shapes, lines, color, SCALE, COMPOSITION, source that drives its movements.

3. Why do you suppose Calder chose to make this MOBILE completely black? How would you interpret this mobile differently if all of the forms were green? Blue? Many colors?

4. You can see many parts of the MOBILE and how it is put together. What element of the mobile can you not see? If you were going to make a reproduction that captures this missing element, how would you do it? Could you make any kind of reproduction that would capture all aspects of experiencing this sculpture?

5. Have you ever seen a MOBILE? Where? How big was it? Was it ABSTRACT or did it have a recognizable subject? Did you consider it a work of art? Why or why not? Would you consider it a work of art now that you have studied Alexander Calder's mobile?

6. Compare and contrast Calder's MOBILE Ahab with George Morrison's Collage IX: Landscape. What do these two artworks have in common? How do they differ?

Teacher Answer Key



To the Teacher ~ Introduction ~ Timeline ~ Artwork Index ~ Categories for Comparison ~ Glossary ~ How to Order ~ Your Comments