Alexander Calder and Contemporary Art: Form, Balance, Joy

Coinciding with an exhibition at Chicago's Museum of Contemporary Art, curator Warren's examination of Calder's talent and influence is as elegant as the mobiles and sculptures for which the artist is known. Warren and the book's many essayists, including Brooke Kamin Rapaport, provide a general appreciation and show the specific impact of Calder's work on the seven artists who make up the show. In some cases, such as sculptor Martin Boyce's mobile Concrete Autumn (Dead Leaves, No Ground), Calder's influence is clear; others enter into direct dialog with Calder, such as Nathan Carter, who's monochromatic Hand Made Radio Antenna Finland 1917 echoes a sculpture Calder made in 1937. The influence isn't always so transparent, such as with the abstract work of Abraham Cruzvillegas, but all seven artists retain Calder's playfulness and attention to form and balance. Rounded out with a study of Calder's contributions to modern sculpture by UCLA Associate Professor of Art History George Baker and numerous color plates, Warren's book does more than sum up a show, it offers analysis of Calder's genius and ingenuity, giving added weight to his work and legacy. Illus. (Sept.)