Model for East Building Mobile

1972

Alexander Calder

Associated Names
Alexander Calder

Artist, American, 1898 - 1976

The sculpture is a mobile of abstract geometric shapes in vibrant colors, including black, blue, and red. Black, boomerang-like shapes are positioned at the upper left, connected to a central blue triangular shape. Across from them, red shapes that look like guitar picks are on the right, some larger and others smaller. Thin metal rods connect the shapes and allow movement, as the whole thing is hung from a central point above the blue shape. It is suspended against a white background.
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On View

East Building Tower Level, Gallery 606

Artwork overview

  • Medium

    aluminum, wire, and paint

  • Credit Line

    Gift of the Collectors Committee

  • Dimensions

    overall: 28.9 x 69.2 cm (11 3/8 x 27 1/4 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1975.114.1

More About this Artwork

Article:  Calder’s Mobile Breathes Life into the East Building

See how the massive moving sculpture was made and recently reinstalled.

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

The artist [1898-1976]; acquired 18 November 1977 by NGA.[1]
[1] The model was first received by NGA from the artist in January 1973, and the full-scale mobile was formally commissioned by the NGA Board of Trustees on 3 May 1973. The model was returned to the artist at his request in June 1974. After the artist's death in 1976, the model was in the possession of Paul Matisse, who fabricated the full-scale mobile and coordinated its installation in the NGA East Building. Mr. Matisse turned over custody of the model to NGA when the installation was complete.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1998

  • Alexander Calder: 1898-1976, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, 1998, no. 266, color repro. (shown only in Washington).

Bibliography

1978

  • King, Marian. Adventures in Art: National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. New York, 1978: 121, pl. 77.

1994

  • Sculpture: An Illustrated Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1994: 39, repro.

1998

  • Alexander Calder: 1898-1976. Exh. cat. National Gallery of Art, Washington; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, 1998: no. 266.

Wikidata ID

Q63854310

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