Alexander Calder: Chess set c. 1944. Wood and paint 45.7 x 45.7 cm / 18 x 18 in. Calder Foundation, New York; Mary Calder Rower Bequest, 2011.
Alexander Calder: From the Stony River to the Sky Hauser & Wirth Somerset presents ‘From the Stony River to the Sky’, a major solo exhibition of works by Alexander Calder (1898 – 1976). 26 May – 9 September 2018.]]>
Source: Hauser & Wirth Somerset
Calder was one of the most influential and pioneering artists of the twentieth century, transforming the very nature of sculpture by introducing the fourth dimension and the actuality of real-time experience into his work. Known primarily for his invention of the mobile, Calder created a prolific oeuvre that extended to wire sculpture, carved figures, stabiles, standing mobiles, oil paintings, works on paper, jewellery, furniture and domestic objects, and monumental public commissions across the globe.
The exhibition ‘From the Stony River to the Sky’ runs through all five gallery spaces at Hauser & Wirth Somerset with over 80 pieces, including large-scale outdoor works set within the gardens at Durslade Farm. The exhibition takes its title from the etymology of the surname Calder in Celtic—meaning ‘from the stony river’—and its inspiration from Calder’s long-time home and studio in Roxbury, Connecticut. Purchasing the dilapidated farmhouse in 1933, Calder and his wife Louisa adapted it to fit their growing family, and Calder built three studios over the years to accommodate his burgeoning ambitions as an artist.
In 1934, the expanse of his Roxbury hills inspired Calder to make outdoor sculptures, among the first of which is exhibited here inside the galleries: ‘Red, White, Black and Brass’. Also on view are two important surrealist works from 1938: ‘Apple Monster’, made from a fallen branch of an ancient apple tree on the property, and an untitled sister sculpture, which features a found cow vertebra and spheres perched atop wires, expressing a range of vibratory qualities.
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