
by Alexander Calder, 1974
Alexander Calder created this Flamingo in 1974, a 53-foot painted steel sculpture standing in Chicago's Federal Plaza. The vibrant vermillion red stabile contrasts dramatically with the dark steel and glass of Mies van der Rohe's surrounding buildings. It has become one of Chicago's most beloved public artworks.
Calder invented the stabile (his term for stationary abstract sculptures) and the mobile (suspended moving sculptures). Flamingo represents his monumental stabile work, using curved steel plates bolted together to create an organic form. Despite its name, the sculpture doesn't literally depict a flamingo but suggests the bird's grace and curves.
The sculpture was dedicated in 1974 with a circus parade through downtown Chicago, honoring Calder's lifelong love of the circus. Mayor Richard J. Daley declared it "Calder Day" in Chicago. The work can be walked under and through, inviting interaction rather than mere observation.
Luxury wall art with the same mood and energy. Gallery-quality canvas, no museum crowds.
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