Miró and Calder | Simpatico

Joan Miró and Alexander Calder were two of the greatest Modern artists of the 20th Century as well as being close, lifelong friends. Both artists spent time in Paris throughout their careers, and when they did they mixed in the same circles and often exhibited with the same galleries. 

Although there are many differences in their work - most notably that while Calder's work is largely imbedded in an abstract and fluid style, Miró's style is more surreal and intellectual - the similarities between the two are clear.

Both artists were fascinated with the balance of poetry with geometry; with surface and depth, with symbolism and intuition. They were both intrigued with the conversations between the mind at play and the surface representation of this. They understood the intense effect of pure colour and dream like forms and the visual impact that these would have on a viewer in both a symbolic but also immediate visceral way.

There is a deceptive simplicity to their work, but  as is often the case, a work paired down so beautifully and simply as one of Miró's or Calders must be the work of a great mind to make the composition balance so well and to know when to let the form breath, colour be pure and line dance. 

Calder is perhaps best known for his beautiful, kinetic mobiles, and Miró's most famous works are his paintings, but both artists were also very keen printmakers. They worked with wonderful print studios and master printmakers, but for each of them, one of their greatest collaborations was with the Maeght Gallery. Through Maeght they began to create large and usually unsigned editions of lithographs which could be widely distributed and would make first class art available and affordable to any collector or enthusiast. These are the works, along with original posters from their exhibitions, which we are offering in this exhibitions. All the works in this show are original lithographs, but are from these large and unsigned editions which makes them still, wonderfully and temptingly collectable today. 

To view the catalogue for this show please click HERE