July 03, 2012

Calder’s Revolución

Working in collaboration with Cuban political activist, poet, and journalist Carlos Franqui, Alexander Calder produced this gouache work on paper circa 1974. Franqui established a relationship with Calder and other Modern artists during his tenure running Revolución, the official Cuban Revolution paper.

This piece is a stunning visual interpretation of Franqui’s haunting poem, Lo oscuro invade mi cuerpo misterio goto oscura negra, which roughly translated means “The darkness invades my body, mystery, dark black drop falls.”