The artwork titled “1 RED, 4 BLACK PLUS X WHITE” by Alexander Calder created in 1947 is an exemplary piece of Kinetic Art and falls under the genre of mobiles. This piece manifests Calder’s exploration of movement in art, a characteristic trait of the Kinetic Art movement.
In the image provided, the artwork appears to consist of a series of flat, abstract shapes that are interconnected by rods or wires, enabling them to move or balance in the air. The composition includes one prominent red shape, which adds a vivid contrast to the four black shapes and the multiple white shapes that accompany them. The shapes are all suspended, and the arrangement suggests a kind of delicate equilibrium, where the movement of one piece would likely affect the rest. The mobile is an exploration of spatial dynamics and color, aiming to engage the viewer with its subtle and responsive movement. The interplay of the colors and their distribution across the structure demonstrates Calder’s attention to balance, not just physically but also visually.
