Alexander Calder (1898-1976) and Joan Miro (1893-1993) need no introduction for lovers of Western abstract art. Calder is best known for his painted mobile sculptures created mainly to be hung on high ceilings, while Miro was a prolific painter whose expressive dream-like works lie at the intersection of Surrealism, Fauvism and Expressionism. Yet few people are aware of the close friendship between these two pioneering artists and how that friendship shaped their art. This post unpeels their story.
From the time they met in 1928 until the time of Calder’s death in 1976, the two artists were a constant and integral presence in each other’s lives. What drew them together? Personal chemistry aside, I believe it is the visual poetry of their art that led to mutual admiration for and influences on each other’s work, Calder’s mobiles are kinetic sculptures designed to move freely in space. They communicated better than any art that came before, that other than form, mass, time and space, movement is an essential factor that defines the physical universe.
Miro too, explored an overlook dimension of reality: the subconscious mind. At first glance, his paintings look whimsical, even cartoony, peppered as they are with moons, stars, birds, and a host of imaginary creatures that seem to jump straight out of fantasy novel. But Miro doesn’t paint to amuse his viewers. He sought to express the workings of the subconscious mind by depicting biomorphic figures and geometric objects floating in space, all rendered in vivid colors that appear to be expressions of freedom and playfulness. When one looks at a Miro painting, one is drawn to the inevitable conclusion that reality and dreams often merge into a mysterious state where everything is fluid, and anything is possible in the deep recesses of the mind.
And so, from the friendship and mutual influences of these two great artists, the world is gifted a body of work that is not only visually interesting but also a reminder that if we look more deeply at the world, there’s more to it than meets the eye.
