Marcel Duchamp once dubbed the artist Alexander Calder as, “the inventor of the universe,” as he broke away from the traditional notions of sculpture and form with his mobiles or the “moving sculptures.” The Calder Mobile Lights, an extension of these innovative objects, play with light and air to create an ever-changing visual delight.
Origins & Inspiration
Calder Mobile lights have their roots in the kinetic sculpture movement, which emerged as a response to the mechanized and industrial nature of society in the 20th century. In this context, Calder’s mobiles were created as anti-art objects, to defy the notion of fixed sculpture and creating an ever-changing, almost living form.
The inspiration for Calder Mobile Lights came to Mark McDermott, an Australian artist, while making mobiles out of scrapped bicycle parts. He realized the interaction between light and air was an essential aspect of the movement of mobiles, which could be further enhanced with the use of lighting. Thus, the idea of the Calder Mobile Light was born.
Design & Construction
The construction of a Calder Mobile Light requires careful attention to detail and an understanding of balance, weight, and aerodynamics. The design process begins with sketching ideas and selecting materials like aluminum and stainless steel, which are durable and lightweight. Thereafter, the construction process involves drilling and welding the frame, cutting out shapes, and attaching the lighting elements.
One unique aspect of the entire process is the testing phase where it is critical to ensuring that the object, once lit up, moves and interacts with the air in the right way, creating a mesmerizing, constantly changing pattern of light and shadow.
Impact & Significance
The Calder Mobile Lights invite a unique multisensory experience, including the sight, sound, and feel of the objects as they move delicately through the air, coupled with the shimmering light they disperse. The sculptures offer a new perspective on the interaction between real objects and the light around them.
Some of the most significant installations of Calder Mobile Lights include the massive 72-foot sculpture in the lobby of the John Hancock Center in Chicago and the illuminated “Hanging Mobile TPK” at the entrance to the Taiwan Performing Arts Center.
The Future
The future of Calder Mobile Lights is bright, with the demand for the objects growing among art aficionados and collectors. Artists around the world are exploring the boundaries of the art form and experimenting with different materials and mounted lighting, making the works even more expressive and dynamic.
Conclusion
The Calder Mobile Light represents a combination of traditional mobiles with contemporary lighting technology, creating a mesmerizing work of art. By bringing together the moving sculptures and the play of light and air, Calder Mobile Lights have added a new dimension to the world of art and sculpture.
The object’s significance lies in its ability to capture the viewer’s attention with its ever-changing shapes, movements, and light patterns, leading to a new appreciation of the relationship between nature, sculpture, and lighting. As Mark McDermott said, “I create to inspire the possibility of something new,” and Calder Mobile Lights certainly do just that.