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ALEXANDER CALDER

moca artist bio placeholderAlexander Calder was born in Lawnton, Pennsylvania in 1898 to two artists-his father, a renowned sculptor, and mother, a professional portrait painter. Developing a strong interest in fine art at a young age, he created his first sculpture at age eleven. Perhaps most well-known for his mobiles of twisted wire or “drawings in space” as he referred to them, Calder also created monumental sculpture, paintings, works on paper, and jewelry. Much of Calder's earlier work is figurative, including portraits and animals rendered abstractly through geometric shapes and bright colors. During his mature period, and after a visit to Piet Mondrian's studio, Calder shifted away from figuration towards greater abstraction.