‘I love the space of the circus. I made some drawings of nothing but the tent. The whole thing of the—the vast space—I’ve always loved it.’ – Alexander Calder (1964)
Alexander Calder’s experience sketching circus performances and zoo animals led to the inauguration, in 1926, of his Cirque Calder, a miniature circus which Calder ‘performed’ in Paris in front of the international avant-garde. It is now understood as one of the earliest examples of performance art.
Radical Inventor’s co-curator Anne Grace explains how Calder’s love of the circus developed and how it was reflected in his work throughout his career.
Speaker
Anne Grace, Curator of Modern Art, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and Radical Inventor co-curator