Alexander Calder (1898–1976) has been closely associated with the Neue Nationalgalerie for decades through his major work “Têtes et Queue” (1965). The outdoor sculpture was installed at the opening of Mies van der Rohe's architectural icon and is now returning to the museum's terrace when it reopens.
The expansive and often movable objects of the American representative of kinetic art range from tiny miniatures to monumental stable and mobile objects. The exhibition traces the special relationship between size, scale and spatiality and, by confronting the organic forms of Calder's art, opens a special dialogue with the strict geometry of Mies van der Rohe's building. The open, experimental approach of the exhibition, which was specially designed for the glass hall of the Neue Nationalgalerie, relies on the involvement of visitors, who can sometimes experience Calder's works in action.