If you have not subscribed to our Year in Art Newsletter and/or been reading some of the amazing stories related to it, you should. This week, we'll run some of our favorite art videos...because we can.
The Whitney Biennial is in full swing in New York as we speak (and if this New York Magazine review is anything to go by (and I find New York Magazine reviews to ALWAYS be something to go by) you should check it out) so it is only appropriate to kick off with some of Alexander Calder's Circus videos, since the Cirque Calder is part of Whitney's permanent collection now.
The year is 1927 and Calder (originally from Philadelphia but, tinkering around his Paris studio creates wire models rigged to perform the various functions of the circus performers they represent, from contortionists to sword eaters to lion tamers. The models are made of various items, generally wire and wood and soon Calder starts improvising performances of his imaginary one ring, full of whimsy and humor and wit, and naturally they become a hit.
By the early 1930s Calder had brought his “Circus” to the United States and back (performing at the Whitney Biennial, which is where the video below is from), and was living in Paris off the proceeds of his regular performances. During the fixing and adding to the “Circus”, Calder began to show and work on wire and wood sculpture as well as painting, which slowly evolved in his now world famous mobiles.
They certainly don't make them like this anymore:
God loves a cheerful giver.
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