Alexander Calder’s Most Famous Mobiles: A Legacy in Motion

The American artist Alexander Calder (1898–1976) redefined the boundaries of sculpture, transforming it from a static art form into a dynamic interplay of movement, volume, and vibrant color. He is most renowned for his groundbreaking mobiles, a term coined by Marcel Duchamp in 1932 to describe his suspended, kinetic sculptures. Calder entrusts his creations to the movement of air. The construction of his work is the result of a skillful process rooted in his engineering expertise. The shapes are first cut from aluminum sheets with quick movements of a blowtorch, then painted. Calder limits his palette to primary colors, complemented by black and white.

Though abstract, these shapes often evoke leaves or petals. Suspended from long metal rods balanced with precision, they sway with the wind. The point of suspension is generally off-center, lending the sculpture an impression of unstable grace. The rhythm is never repetitive, escaping any fixed system, and the artwork continuously reinvents itself. This poetic aspect recalls the playful and joyful art of Calder’s friend Joan Miró, whose work he greatly admired.

Today Artsper brings you to discover his 5 most famous mobiles.

1. Lobster Trap and Fish Tail (1939)

This early Mobile was commissioned for the stairwell of MoMA’s new building in 1939, where you can still find the artwork. It combines organic, marine-inspired shapes with Calder‘s innovative use of movement, evoking the motion of underwater creatures. One of Calder’s first major commissions, it established him as a master of integrating art with architectural space.

Alexander Calder, Lobster Trap and Fish Tail, 1939

2. Untitled (1976)

Suspended in the East Building’s atrium of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., this enormous Mobile is over 76 feet wide. It features large, curvilinear shapes painted in Calder’s signature primary colors (red, blue, black). Created shortly before Calder’s death, it is one of his largest and most ambitious mobiles, reflecting his lifelong exploration of balance and movement. We can find some resemblances with the artistic research carried on by Piet Mondrian, one of his dearest friends. Indeed he was inspired by Mondrian’s abstract, colorful paintings and primary color palette (blue, yellow, red). Fascinated by his studio, Calder suggested the colors should move, sparking his exploration of movement as the focus of his art.

Alexander Calder, Untitled, 1976

3. Black Widow (1948)

This large Mobile features a striking combination of black metal elements and biomorphic forms that hover and move in space. The artwork can be seen today at the Chicago Art Institute. A masterpiece of Calder’s mature period, it demonstrates his ability to balance forms in intricate and dynamic ways.

Alexander Calder, Black Widow, 1948

4. Vertical Foliage (1941)

One of Calder’s early Mobiles, this work is unique for its vertical orientation, which suggests a tree or foliage in motion. It showcases Calder’s experimentation with non-traditional forms and the natural world. Today the Vertical Foliage is exhibited at Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City.

Alexander Calder, Vertical Foliage, 1941

5. Mobile sur deux plans (1966)

Graceful and light, Mobile on Two Planes is composed of an assemblage of brightly colored metal sheets attached to the ends of long metal rods. Despite the monumental size of the sculpture, a simple breath of air is enough to set it in motion, giving it an infinite range of possible forms. The actual location of the artwork is at Centre George Pompidou in Paris. The work’s ethereal quality reflects Calder’s mastery of balancing visual weight and movement in abstract compositions.

Alexander Calder, Mobile sur deux plans, 1966.

Calder’s Mobiles have become part of the most prestigious museum collections and have gained widespread public acclaim. Their dynamic and innovative nature has captivated audiences around the world, making them a hallmark of 20th-century art. Calder’s work continues to inspire both art lovers and contemporary artists, celebrated for its blending of engineering, abstraction, and movement. Discover more of his work on Artsper.