Musée des Beaux Arts: Calder Exhibition in Montréal

One of the most influential artists of the twentieth century, Calder transformed the very nature of sculpture with his invention of the mobile, introducing the fourth dimension of time and the actuality of real-time experience into the realm of sculpture. His prolific artistic output extended to wire sculpture, carved figures, stabiles, standing mobiles, oil paintings, works on paper, jewelry, furniture, and domestic objects, and grew to encompass monumental public commissions across the globe. Calder created over 22,000 works and exhibited on five continents. He was born into a family of artists, and his probing mind, love of materials and penchant for invention equipped him from his early career to discard the conventional parameters of art. During the 1920s in Paris, Calder developed his art among the artistic and intellectual circles of the day, forging friendships with Cocteau, Duchamp, Le Corbusier, Léger, Mondrian, Miró, Prévert, Varèse and other prominent figures of the international avant-garde. Although not the first person to use metal and movement in his work, Calder became known for his pioneering use of both. In particular he was famous for what Marcel Duchamp christened, ‘mobiles’, and what Jean Arp named ‘stabiles’ in 1932. 

The first major Canadian retrospective of Alexander Calder at the Montreal Musée des Beaux Arts, presents the work of one of the greatest artists of the twentieth century, with over 150 works ranging from paintings and drawings to wire circus figures, hanging and standing mobiles, sheet-metal stabiles as well as jewellery. An enormous fan of Calder's work, we were thrilled to explore this outstanding retrospective in Montreal while visiting the city for a few days. The event has a particular resonance in Montréal, where the artist’s Expo 67 commission, "Trois disques," or as Montrealers affectionately call it, "Man", remembering “Man and His World,” remains an iconic landmark in Parc Jean-Drapeau. Sponsored by the Canadian International Nickel Company, Calder’s monumental Trois Disques stood out even among the wildly unconventional architecture of the Expo site, an embodiment of the fair’s inclusive spirit. In recent years it has taken on a new life in a new setting on Île Ste-Hélène, where a generation of summer weekend dancers at the Piknic Électronik parties have adopted it as an icon of their own. 

Entrance to Alexander Calder: Radical Inventor, at the Montréal Musée des Beaux Arts

'Laughing Boy' by Alexander Stirling Calder, the artists father for whom he posed from an early age

Wire portrait of John Graham, 

who he met at John Sloan's drawing class at the Art Students League in 1931

Made of flexible linear wire, Calder shaped 3-D portraits of considerable character and nuance, and when suspended from the ceiling, the portraits were free to move and appear to have a life of their own

Aesop's Fables with illustrations by Calder from 1931

Pen and ink portrait of Jean-Paul Sartre by Calder from 1947

The Flying Trapeze, and oil on canvas by Calder from 1925

Circus Scene in gouache on canvas from 1925

The Brass Family from 1929, was one of calder's most ambitious wire sculptures

Detail of the sculpture with small 'Calder' signature in wire on the right

Calder performing the “Circus” from a 1955 film by Jean Painleve

Devilfish from 1947

Red Disc and Gong from 1940

Inspired after a visit to the studio his friend Piet Mondian, and seeing light shift over the colored cardboard rectangles the artist had tacked to his wall, Calder considered how these shapes would look in motion

The 'Nature Reinvested' Room of the Calder exhibition, featuring mobiles inspired by the natural environment

Aluminum Leaves and Red Post, 1941, made of sheet metal, wire and paint

Little Spider from 1940 is one of Calder's standing mobiles

Red Lily Pads from 1956

'Chock' from 1972 made of metal coffee containers, brass, wire steel and paint

Red Mobilé from 1956 (L) and Red Gongs from 1950 (centre)

Alexander Calder in Paris, 1952 © 2015 Calder Foundation

Calder's bronze 'Snake on Arch' from 1944

'Molluscs' oil on canvas from 1955

Snow Flurry III from 1948

Calder #1 Fabric designed in 1949 from Laverne Originals in NYC

Necklace from 1930 made with brass wire, ceramics and cord

Octopus Brooch from 1940 made of brass and steel wire

Necklaces and bracelets from 1938-1940 made of brass and steel wire

Jewelry case with dramatic necklace on right, made in 1930 of nickel silver wire

The 'Man and His World' complete with maquette, and film footage of expo 67

Original Trois Disques maquette from 1966

"Trois disques" at Expo 67, or as Montrealers affectionately call it, "Man" from “Man and His World,” which I remember going to as a small girl growing up in Montreal

Le Beaux-Arts is a lovely restaurant inside the museum, and ideal for lunch 

after a morning exploring the Calder Exhibition

Casa Ruffino Prosecco

A nice round pumpkin stands guard on the bar in honour of Halloween

Fresh warm baguette with butter

Ruffino Lumina Pinot Grigio

Soupe de tomates à l'huile d'ail

Barley risotto, candied Meyer lemon, Nantes carrots marinated in Labrador tea,

Canotier de l’Isle cheese and rhubarb powder

Fresh squid-ink linguine, candied plums and oyster mushrooms, roasted hazelnuts,

parsnip purée and nasturtium leaf

Café au Lait

www.mbam.qc.ca/renseignements/restaurant

French Toast with Maple Caramel and Ice Cream

Serves 4

Recipe courtesy of chef Richard Bastien

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup 35% cream

2 large eggs

1/4 cup sugar

1 pinch ground cinnamon

1 pinch ground nutmeg

1 pinch ground cloves

4 slices 2-inch thick brioche

5 tbsp butter

Maple Caramel:

3/4 cup maple syrup

1/8 cup corn syrup

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1/2 cup of cream

In a bowl, combine the milk, cream, eggs and sugar. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Dip the slices of brioche in the mixture. Heat the butter in an oven-safe cast-iron skillet over medium heat and brown the slice of bread on both sides until the surface is crispy. Transfer the skillet to a 450°F oven and bake for 7 to 8 minutes.

During this time, prepare the maple caramel. In a medium pot, reduce the maple syrup and corn syrup until caramelized about 255°F on a candy thermometer. Remove the pot from heat, then add the butter and cream and return to the heat. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, then remove from heat.

To serve, place a slice of French toast on each plate and garnish with a scoop of ice cream, and spoon the maple caramel on top.