The “Little Spider” is an artwork created by Alexander Calder around 1940, categorized within the Kinetic Art movement. It is a sculpture that exhibits characteristics of a mobile, which is a type of moving sculpture that Calder was renowned for pioneering.
The artwork displayed appears to be a composition of abstract shapes and lines made from wire or metal, which forms a silhouette reminiscent of a spider. The piece combines organic and geometric elements, with a series of flat shapes fanning out from the central structure, suggesting the spider’s legs in motion. The use of black outlines and spots along with splashes of color like red, yellow, and gray add visual interest and are typical of Calder’s playful yet sophisticated artistic style. The construction likely allows for movement, either by air currents or by interaction, which would cause the elements to gently shift, thus animating the sculpture and emphasizing its kinetic qualities.
