Alexander Calder (1898–1976) was an American sculptor best known for inventing the mobile, a form of kinetic sculpture that moves with air currents or small motors. Born in Pennsylvania into a family of artists, he first trained as a mechanical engineer, which later informed the balance and structure of his work. After art studies in New York, he moved to Paris in the late 1920s, where he made his early wire portraits and the much loved “Cirque Calder,” a miniature circus performed with handcrafted figures.
By the 1930s he was creating mobiles, a term reportedly coined by Marcel Duchamp, and “stabiles,” the static counterparts named by Jean Arp. Using wire, sheet metal, and bold colour, Calder brought movement and lightness to sculpture, turning it into a kind of drawing in space. From the 1950s onwards he also produced large public works, including monumental pieces for plazas and civic buildings, as well as jewellery, tapestries, and prints.
Calder divided his time between the United States and France and remained prolific until his death in 1976. His influence is wide, not only for the invention of the mobile but for the way he made sculpture feel approachable, playful, and precise all at once. His works are held in major museums around the world and continue to be shown widely.