home of Alexander Calder

I love Calder.  Last year I saw an exhibition of his paintings at the Gagosian, London and this summer I was lucky enough to see his circus wire sculptures at Tate Modern.  I loved it so much I went round twice!  I’m a huge fan of anything to do with the circus and my own home is filled with my trapeze sculptures, which left me wondering about Calder’s home.  His mobiles are mostly photographed in minimal spaces, yet I couldn’t believe that someone who made the circus works could possibly live somewhere without clutter.  Especially as he is so often photographed with a ciggie hanging out the corner of his mouth and wild hair.  As you can see from the above picture, I wasn’t disappointed…

 

 

 

Calder’s childhood homes were also creative.  Born in 1898 in Philadelphia, Calder’s father was a sculptor and his mother a painter.  They moved frequently, first to Arizona, then to Pasadena, California and then to New York, but constantly returning to California.  By the time he was a teenager Calder was sculpting and wherever they were, his parents set aside the cellar for his studio.  Calder eventually studied art in New York, but like his parents, he had itchy feet.  He moved to Paris where he met his wife, Louisa James whom he married in 1931.

This is Calder and Louisa’s house in Touraine, France in 1953…

 

 

But Calder was keen to move again and in the same year, 1953, Calder, Louisa and their two small children returned to America and settled in Roxbury, Connecticut.

This is their home there, an old farmhouse that Calder painted black.

 

 

 

 

Even with a young family Calder retained his travel bug and with Louisa and the kids in tow he lived and worked in France, India, Lebanon, London and New York.  In 1962 he built a large studio in Sache in France and continued to divide his time between there and Roxbury.

Here’s his wonderful Roxbury home…

 

 

 

I especially love his kitchen with his handmade wire utensils!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note the rug in the picture above.  It was woven by Louisa.

 

And Calder’s painting in his bedroom below is just wonderful.  I love it.

 

 

 

 

And here’s Calder’s amazing workshop…

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is what the house looks like today…

 

 

Calder died in New York in 1976, but is buried in Roxbury.

I have been asked by a reader whether there is a book available on Calder’s home, and yes there is!  It’s called Calder at Home. I have made a link to it on Amazon below, just click on the image.

 

 

 

And I’ll leave you with him full of life, in a performance with one of his many creations…

 

 

 

words: CAND JUSKUS

images: various online sources