Calder and Bourgeois

I was in complete heaven when I walked into the Tate late last year and saw two of my favourite art pieces together in the same space, the contrast and the scale where just so interesting. I actually went back another day armed with my camera. I know they are replicas but these is something very fascinating about them being in the space.

Alexander Calder's bright and abstract Flamingo next to Louise Bourgeois's Maman which is more wirely and textured. Loved it! The original Flamingo which is 53 feet high is in the Federal Center Plaza in Chicago surrounded by tall, grey office buildings. The colour is actually know as 'Calder red'. Its is made out of stainless steel.

On the other hand there are many Maman spiders which have been photographed in locations all over the world. They seem to crop up everywhere and in my opinion they never look out of place, in the grounds of the Palais des Tuileries in Paris, both outside and inside the Tate, in a park, a museum (these are just a few of the places I have seen them).

Apparently, the original work is 30ft tall and is also maid out of stainless steel. The others are replicas and are bronze casts. I like these pieces so much that I will look further into other works by these artists in later posts.