Paddock Arts

Alexander Calder - Movement, Gesture, Form, and Texture

 

Artist Alexander Calder inspired by the movement that he saw at the Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey Circus breathed life into his own circus of inanimate objects.  He used wire and other recycled materials to create his army of circus characters.  Beginning in 1927, Calder performed his “Circus Calder” in Paris, New York, and elsewhere.  He would give out invitations to his guests, who would sit on makeshift bleachers munching peanuts, just like a real circus.  With a crash of cymbals and music from and old gramophone, the circus would begin.  Clader used his training as a mechanical engineer to give his performers and animals mechanized parts.    It was a mix between a diorama, a child’s toy, and a fair game in which he found many eager fans, Later Calder moved to more abstract artwork and went on to invent the mobile and other works of moving sculpture.

 

 

The Children partnered up and came up with a scene in which they could create.  They started off with basic wire figures and could use anything they found or recycled.  The focus was to use the complete area of the sculpture so that the viewer can enjoy all angles of the sculpture.  To creater gesture/movement to their figures to make them seem alive.  And to add in details and texture to the scene so that it draws the viewer into their art piece.