ALEXANDER CALDER American, 1898-1976
The Yellow Shock Absorber, 1969
Signed and Dated Gouache and Watercolour on Paper
75.5 x 109.5 cm. / 29.7 x 43.2 in.
This is an original gouache by Alexander Calder.
It is hand signed and dated "Calder 69" at the lower right corner.
It was painted in 1969.
Note:
The title of this work immediately evokes Calder’s engineering and mechanical abilities, whilst focusing squarely on a piece of equipment directly employed to harness kinetic energy. Regardless of size or manufacturer, the mechanical part is identifiable by the spiralling spring around a central rod. In this composition, we can see at least two of these, but the left of the image is dominated by a shock absorber. The other motives are also typical of Calder, the serpent mimics the spiral of the shock absorber as if providing the natural world’s balance to the machine age. The black spiral and star are paired with a colourful spiral and an orb displaying yin and yang – again balance is explored.
Movement has been deliberately created by the artist in that the paper has itself been turned in a spiral motion allowing the black ink to move and bleed from the composition in different directions. This manual and intentional action by Calder cements the work’s importance in the artist’s pursuit of Kineticism even in what is arguably a static medium.
Provenance:
Perls Gallery, New York.
Mr. and Mrs. Patrick J. Kelleher, Princeton, NJ.
Mitchell-Innes & Nash, New York.
Private Collection, UK
This work is registered in the archives of the Calder Foundation, New York, under application number A06262.
Condition: Very good condition. Colour strong and bright. Drying crackle present in various areas of yellow. Minor paint losses on left margin.
It is hand signed and dated "Calder 69" at the lower right corner.
It was painted in 1969.
Note:
The title of this work immediately evokes Calder’s engineering and mechanical abilities, whilst focusing squarely on a piece of equipment directly employed to harness kinetic energy. Regardless of size or manufacturer, the mechanical part is identifiable by the spiralling spring around a central rod. In this composition, we can see at least two of these, but the left of the image is dominated by a shock absorber. The other motives are also typical of Calder, the serpent mimics the spiral of the shock absorber as if providing the natural world’s balance to the machine age. The black spiral and star are paired with a colourful spiral and an orb displaying yin and yang – again balance is explored.
Movement has been deliberately created by the artist in that the paper has itself been turned in a spiral motion allowing the black ink to move and bleed from the composition in different directions. This manual and intentional action by Calder cements the work’s importance in the artist’s pursuit of Kineticism even in what is arguably a static medium.
Provenance:
Perls Gallery, New York.
Mr. and Mrs. Patrick J. Kelleher, Princeton, NJ.
Mitchell-Innes & Nash, New York.
Private Collection, UK
This work is registered in the archives of the Calder Foundation, New York, under application number A06262.
Condition: Very good condition. Colour strong and bright. Drying crackle present in various areas of yellow. Minor paint losses on left margin.
