Seeing Red!

"I love red so much that I almost want to paint everything red." —Alexander Calder

The son and grandson of sculptors, Alexander Calder (1898–1976) was born in Philadelphia and studied mechanical engineering in college. Combining his engineering know-how with the study of art, Calder changed the look of twentieth-century abstract sculpture. He coined the terms "mobile" and "stabile" to describe his innovations.

Flamingo (1974) is a stabile, or abstract sculpture without moving parts. Pictured is the model for the monumental work, which resides in Federal Plaza, Chicago. When asked how he selected the sculpture's title, he said it was "sort of pink and has a long neck, so I called it Flamingo."

Source: Katharine Kuh. The Artist's Voice: Talks with Seventeen Artists (New York: Harper & Row, 1962).

Pictured: Alexander Calder, Maquette for Flamingo, 1972, riveted and painted aluminum, 15 5/8 x 18 1/8 x 10 in., Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from General Services Administration.