Currently on display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City is Alexander Calder's 1939 whimsical mobile Lobster Trap and Fish Tail. This delicate and interactive sculpture is as enchanting now as it was in the year of its creation.
This mechanical interpretation of elements from marine life helped to pioneer mobiles and the creation of kinetic works. Calder has said about his work "Just as one can compose colours, or forms, so one can compose motions." His sculpture is brought alive by the air that surrounds it, and can be controlled and interacted with the breath and movement of the viewer. These movements mirror lapping waves or the current of the ocean floor, and the dancing shadows that are cast on the walls increase the drama of the sculpture's performance-like motions.
We love the effective simplicity of Calder's works as well as the way these captivating installations maintain relevance almost 80 years later.
