Three films were made of calder s circus performances, but the works significance is that it is one of the earliest modern works in which the artist is equally involved as both. Calder continued to explore his invention of wire sculpture, whereby he drew with wire in three dimensions the portraits of. Many varying levels of difficulty included to meet everyones needs. Alexander calder is one of americas most important 20th century artists. Calder s circus was created in 1931 by alexander calder in expressionism style. Buy online, view images and see past prices for alexander calder calder s circus 1964 portfolio 16 circus drawings prints joan miro. But when a book gets your kids excited to create too, its absolutely thrilling.
His first showing of his circus was to family and friends, but his popularity grew and he was soon giving shows lasting two hours in paris and new york. It involves wire models rigged to perform the various functions of the circus performers they represent, from contortionists to sword eaters to lion tamers. After a nomadic childhood, he studied engineering at a prestigious university in the united states and then settled in new york in 1923. When a book gets your kids excited to read more, thats about the most beautiful thing in the world. Books by alexander calder author of fables of aesop. Alexander calder lawton, philadelphia, 1898 new york, 1976 was one of the most influential sculptors of the twentieth century. What we now see hanging above the beds of toddlers, entrancing young children everywhere, started as an avantgarde art undertaking. Circus drawings, wire sculpture and toys as want to read. The occasional quotations that accompany the illustrations calders remarks about circus things are the only text in the book read more read less. Beginning in 1926, calder combined his fascination with movement, animals, and caricature into le cirque calder. Acting as ringmaster in front of an audience, calder would pull the strings or turn the cranks that activated his tiny performers. Made of wire and a spectrum of found materials, the cirque was a work of performance art that gained calder an introduction to the parisian avantgarde. Aspects of both the man and the work are captured in this beautifully produced book created to be especially accessible for young readers.
From heather james gallery auction, alexander calder, clown 1976, lithograph, 28 14. This beautifully illustrated picturebook biography fills the void with a spare, direct story that focuses on calder s youth and what are, perhaps, his most kidaccessible artworks. Alexander calder calders circus whitney museum of american art. The art world celebrates alexander calder and his circus series. The kids loved it and it sparks so much imagination. The paris years, 19261933 whitney museum of american art, new york, october 16february 15, 2009. But one of his lesser known, but equally incredible creations is the cirque calder a miniature circus of wire figures and creatures created by the artist in paris between 1926 and 1931. This book presents the circus and examples of the many circus sculptures in wire, wood, and bronze, as well as the circus paintings, drawings, and gouaches, and various other sculptures that relate to calders longtime interest in the circus. Alexander calder and newtons laws of motion the circus. Calders monumental stationary sculptures are called stabiles. The whitney museum of american art have actual video footage of alexander calder working his circus. Understanding alexander calder through 6 pivotal artworks.
He created sculptures and design objects that participated in the larger tendencies of european and american avantgarde, uniquely combining abstract art, modernist principles, machine and cosmic imagery in his works. Calder s whimsical world is brought to life by imaginative no artist can put a smile on your face quicker than alexander calder. Todays deals your gift cards help whole foods registry sell disability customer support. The mobiles of alexander calder masterworks fine art.
Online shopping from a great selection at books store. Art lesson wire sculpting inspired by alexander calders circus. One of the misconceptions about the circus was that it was fun and great, but in reality, humor was a high art form in the late 20s in paris, said alexander s. Oct 25, 2015 alexander calder performs his circus whitney museum of american art duration. His major contribution to the modernist redefinition of artistic media is the invention of two. Integrate math and art to create a circus train, inspired by alexander calder s traveling circus or any circus book or theme. Calder s whimsical world is brought to life by imaginative popups, pull tabs, lifttheflaps, and cutouts. Calders circus brought him renown in paris as he staged it for artist colleagues and friends, including piet mondrian, joan miro, and marcel duchamp. Contents loose as issued in publishers red and blue cloth folder. Kidd, the author of the secret life of bees and other books, offers a feminist slant on christian history in her audacious fourth novel. Aug 17, 20 this feature is not available right now. Alexander calder prints and multiples 203 for sale at 1stdibs. The sight of the moon and the sun interested him into going to art school. The art world celebrates alexander calder and his circus.
Dec 05, 2017 the lesson began with the book sandys circus by tanya lee stone. After moving to paris in 1926, alexander calder began to fabricate dozens of tiny figures and props for what would become his most beloved worktitled in french cirque calder, and in english calders circus. Alexander calder cirque calder art basics for children. This appears to be signed and inscribed by alexander calder on the title page signed as sandy calder. The models are made of various items, generally wire and wood. Calders circus portfolio of 16 by alexander calder on artnet. Though alexander calder was known primarily for his abstract mobiles, his first major body of work was a multipart toy theater piece. I highly recommend it for a home or school library. Calder is best known for the invention of his mobiles and outdoor, large scale sheet metal sculptures, which were called stabiles. The mobiles of alexander calder take a magnificent place in the history of modern art.
The lesson began with the book sandys circus by tanya lee stone. In the center of the ring, enveloped in bright red, a white horse gallops across the composition, his head slightly tilted toward the lovely acrobat. Sandys circus official web site of author tanya stone. View calders circus portfolio of 16 by alexander calder on artnet. Students are asked to choose and research a circus act. In 1928, he was given his first solo exhibition of these sculptures at the weyhe gallery in new york.
Creating a dazzling circus scene full of animation and liveliness, calder pennsylvania, 1898 new york, 1976 depicts a beautiful acrobat and her horse. Alexander calder is an artist best known for his amazing mobiles. See more ideas about calder, alexander calder, circus. Otherwise, the hardcover book is good plus with shelfwear, bumped corners and some fading to the spine. Alexander calder performs his circus whitney museum of. Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, mes dames et messieurs, to the circus. Cirque calder is an artistic rendering of a circus created by the american artist alexander calder. Apr 20, 1972 calders circus is a group of about 55 mechanical performersacrobats and animalscreated between 1926 and 1931 and put on indefinite loan from the artist to the whitney in 1970. Born into a family of artists, calders work first gained attention in paris in the. See all books authored by alexander calder, including animal sketching dover art instruction and reference books, and bestiary, a, and more on. Alexander calder, calders circus, 192631 whitney museum. Once the science of motion has been explained and understood, as well as information about the circus act, the students will demonstrate their knowledge of physics and engineering by creating a model of their circus act in the style of alexander calder.
A biographical picture book about the artist alexander calder, the story mainly focuses on his creation of a miniature wire circus that was popular in the 1920s. Another great book, especially when you are teaching art at home, is meet the artist series book on alexander calder. Complete with 16 offset lithographs of calders drawings for circus. His father and grandfather were well known sculptors and his mother was a painter. There, he began to sculpt a miniature circus out of wire, cork, fabric, a repurposed eggbeater, crimped candy wrappers, and other odd scraps. Alexander calder s calder s circus, a toy theater piece the artist constructed between 1926 and 1931, and performed for decades, has the rag bag appeal of a muchrepaired stuffed animal whos loved into a state of baldness.
Calders circus hardcover january 1, 1972 by alexander calder author. Alexander calder has 52 books on goodreads with 480 ratings. The paris years, 19261933, a new look at the artists early years when his radical. Making use of simple, available materials such as wire, wood, metal, cloth, cork, fabric, and string, he constructed ingeniously articulated animals, clowns, and acrobats. Alexander calder calders circus 1964 portfolio 16 circus dr. Although alexander calder might be best known for his wire mobiles, the artist was also an avid printmaker at the end of his career. Calder continued to explore his invention of wire sculpture, whereby he drew with wire in three dimensions the portraits of friends, animals, circus themes, and personalities of the day. July 22, 1898 november 11, 1976 is widely considered to be one of the most important american sculptors of the 20th century. Alexander calder s most popular book is fables of aesop according to sir roger lestrange, w.
Its an interactive study of calder, with art projects built into the book. While living in paris, calder applied his training as a mechanical engineer to build small, mechanized circus figures that would fit easily inside a suitcase. Its not the greatest book to read in the art room as it focuses more on facts an. From calder foundation, alexander calder, circus scene 1929, wire, wood, and paint, 50. What you see here are a number of acts, each consisting of different charactersacrobats, a bearded. Nov 15, 2015 calder was born at the end of the 19th century 1898 in pennsylvania, the child of painter nanette lederer calder and alexander stirling calder, a sculptor, and he had an elder sister, peggy. He also produced wire figures, which are like drawings made in space, and notably a.
Behold its reinstallation, on view starting june 28th, of one of the most beloved, fun, and radical works of 20thcentury american art. Fly with the acrobats and get lost in colour play, make and learn about art and artists on tate kids htt. From october 16, 2008 through february 15, 2009, the whitney museum of american art presents alexander calder. He is best known for his colorful, whimsical abstract public sculptures and his innovative mobiles, kinetic sculptures powered by motors or air currents, which embraced chance in. Artist alexander calder s works often find an appreciative audience among kids, so its surprising that there are so few books about him for young children. In 1926, calder moved to paris to pursue an artistic career. His first showing of his circus was to family and friends, but his popularity grew and he was soon giving shows lasting two hours. When alexander sandy calder 18981976 arrived in paris in 1926, he aspired to be a painter. Alexander calder abstract composition original lithograph printed signature in the plate dated 1972 in the plate on wove paper, size 81 x 58 cm c. Alexander calders circus by caden manson editor in chief on august 18, 2012 no comments carlos vilardebos 1961 film of alexander calders circus, an intricately assembled performance piece played out by handmade characters including jugglers, sword swallowers, clowns, and animals. And thats just what happened when my girls discovered the gorgeously produced new alexander calder popup book, alexander calder. Calder s circus in this work calder experimented with setting a large collection of miniature acrobats, animals, and other figures in motion using springs and pulleys. Oct 16, 2008 in these seven years calders fluid, animating drawn line transformed from two dimensions to three, from ink and paint to wire, and his radical innovations included open form wire caricature portraits, a bestiary of wire animals, his beloved and critically important miniature circus192631, abstract and figurative sculptures, and his.
Featuring primary colors, geometric lines and spirals, and flattened biomorphic shapes, the imagery in calder s lithographs is often reminiscent of his sculptural work. Invaluable is the worlds largest marketplace for art, antiques, and collectibles. Soon after moving to paris in 1926, calder created his cirque calder. Apr 22, 2011 alexander calder is an artist best known for his amazing mobiles. This video is comprised of scenes of alexander calder performing the circus in 1927 from a film by jean painleve 1955, parts of which were. This picture book tells the story of calder s youth, how he came to enjoy wire sculpture, become an artist and create his moving circus. This video excerpts scenes of calder performing the circus from a 1955 film by jean painleve. Calders circus was created in 1931 by alexander calder in expressionism style. Alexander calder and his magical mobiles tells the story of calders life and career, and relates, often in the artists own words, his working methods and his own feelings about his art.
Calder s constant partiality for animal sculpture and his use of specific circus subjects and titles are significant, but less so than the fact that the basic qualities of. Wire, yarn, cloth, buttons, painted metal, wood, metal, leather and string, dimensions variable. Always taciturn on the nature of his art, alexander calder once quipped, that others grasp what i have in mind seems unessential, at least as long as they have something else in theirs. Alexander calder was born july 22, 1898, in lawton, pennsylvania. Selections from the permanent collection of the whitney museum of american art. Calder had a lifelong fascination with the circus and, upon moving to paris in 1926, he created the cirque calder, a collection of wire sculptures with complex mechanisms allowing them to move and do various tricks. Alexander calder july 22, 1898 november 11, 1976 was an american sculptor known as the originator of the mobile, a type of moving sculpture made with delicately balanced or suspended shapes that move in response to touch or air currents. He ruled the artistic world of the twentieth century with metal sculptures and mobiles. Alexander calder redefined sculpture by introducing into it the element of movement. Alexander calder performs his circus whitney museum of american art duration. This video is comprised of scenes of alexander calder performing the circus in 1927 from a film by jean painleve 1955, parts of which were also compiled by the whitney museum of american art. Alexander calder books list of books by author alexander. A unique, differentiated common core problemsolving activity.
The toys, wire, wood and bronze sculpture, jewelry, drawings, gouaches, and even the great mobiles and stabiles and the recent animobiles. This picture book tells the story of calders youth, how he came to enjoy wire sculpture, become an artist and create his moving circus. Discover alexander calders circus, one of the beloved works. Browse upcoming and past auction lots by alexander calder.
Calder s fascination with the circus began in 1925 when he spent two weeks sketching at the ringling brothers and barnum and bailey circus. Recreating alexander calders tiny circus at the whitney. Calders whimsical world is brought to life by imaginative popups, pull tabs, lifttheflaps, and cutouts. The unbound book includes seven folios and eight loose clippings, two newspapers, and one poster. Calder was an influential american artist in the early 20th century and is credited with inventing the mobile. Find more prominent pieces of installation at best visual art database. Art lesson wire sculpting inspired by alexander calders.
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