Mobile (sculpture)
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A mobile (
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Origin
The meaning of the term "mobile" as applied to sculpture has evolved since it was first suggested by Marcel Duchamp in 1931 to describe the early, mechanized creations of Alexander Calder.[5] At this point, "mobile" was synonymous with the term "kinetic art", describing sculptural works in which motion is a defining property. While motor or crank-driven moving sculptures may have initially prompted it, the word "mobile" later came to refer more specifically to Calder's free-moving creations. Calder in many respects invented an art form where objects (typically brightly coloured, abstract shapes fashioned from sheet metal) are connected by wire much like a balance scale. By the sequential attachment of additional objects, the final creation consists of many balanced parts joined by lengths of wire whose individual elements are capable of moving independently or as a whole when prompted by air movement or direct contact. Thus, "mobile" has become a more well-defined term with its origin in the many such hanging constructs Calder produced in a prolific manner between the 1930s and his death in 1976.
Similar works
Calder's work is the only one defined by the term "mobile"; however, three other notable artists worked on a similar concept. Man Ray experimented with this idea around 1920, Armando Reverón who during the 30s made a series of movable skeletons and Bruno Munari created his "Useless Machines" in 1933, made in cardboard and playful colors.[6]
See also
References
- ^ "MOBILE | Meaning & Definition for UK English | Lexico.com". Archived from the original on July 12, 2012.
- ^ American Heritage Dictionary
- ISBN 978-0-8101-2830-9.
- ISBN 978-0-671-70572-5.
- ISBN 0-8050-5789-7
- ISBN 978-3-907044-89-6
External links
- Alexander Calder's Mobiles by Les Temps Modernes, 1963