Calder Playing Cards
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Inspired by the work of Alexander Calder
A tribute to one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century
Hidden within plain site
Playable Art
Each letter, number and suit (spade, heart, club and diamond) was carefully clipped from a series of vivid gouache paintings from the 1970s known as the Card Player series and reconstructed to create a cohesive deck of playing cards. While many of the cards are direct reproductions others were composed to resemble Calder's fun style.
Thinking like Calder
Court Cards
Since court cards were not included in the original images, the faces for the Jack, King, and Queen were extracted from another series of gouaches that Calder painted around the same period.
Thinking like Calder
Court Cards
Since court cards were not included in the original images, the faces for the Jack, King, and Queen were extracted from another series of gouaches that Calder painted around the same period.
Overview
Calder Playing Cards
One of the most influential artists of the twentieth century, Alexander Calder (1898–1976) disrupted traditional boundaries in art with his suspended abstract mobiles and his monumental stabiles. Removing sculpture from the pedestal, he invited viewers to experience his art directly, a concept that extends to his performative pieces, furniture design, jewelry, and even his paintings.
Calder Playing Cards are based on a set of vivid gouache paintings from the 1970s known as the Card Player series. Many of the cards are direct reproductions from those paintings, with the striped back also pulled from them. All letters and numbers are in Calder’s own handwriting. Since court cards were not included in the original images, the faces for the Jack, King, and Queen were extracted from another series of gouaches that Calder painted around the same period.
Every detail of this deck was faithfully reproduced to celebrate the enduring legacy of Calder, the iconic master of innovation in art.
Alexander Calder, Art of Play
Art of Play
United States
Above all, art should be fun.
Art Icon
Alexander Calder
Alexander Calder, known for his vibrant, humorous sculptures, was born into an artistic family near Philadelphia. After studying engineering, he pursued art in NYC, where his talent for animal sketches emerged. In Paris, he created his famous miniature circus and pioneered mobile sculptures inspired by Mondrian. Returning to the US, his abstract-organic works gained acclaim. Settling in Connecticut, he continued innovating and spent part of each year in France. Calder's playful designs extended to jewelry and theater sets, alongside his monumental sculptures.
Learn More
Produced by Art of Play in close collaboration with
the Calder Foundation, New York.
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