Although Alexander Calder is best known for his mobiles, he created a substantial body of paintings and works on paper, often overlooked but deeply connected to his sculptural language.

In this work, Black Leafed Flowers, 1972, Calder uses his classic primary colors — red, black, blue— and organic playful forms echoing the shapes in his mobiles and stabiles. Here, the floral motif blooms in stark silhouette, animated by the artist’s signature hand: playful yet precise, grounded yet floating. We can relate this work to Calder’s sculpture and many works in the exhibition by Katz, Yoo, or Monet; a moment of observation becomes a portal between reality and reverie.

Calder’s work has been exhibited and collected by every major modern art institution, including the Guggenheim, MoMA, Tate, and Centre Pompidou.

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