Alexander Calder: Workshop for Kids and Radical Inventor at the NGV

I attended the preview of the latest exhibition Alexander Calder: Workshop for Kids and Radical Inventor at the NGV (National Gallery of Victoria) and his work was mesmerising.

Alexander Calder: Radical Inventor

The main exhibition Alexander Calder: Radical Inventor contains a mix of his three-dimensional wire portraits, sculptures, and moving mobiles. Alexander Calder was a groundbreaking and prolific American sculptor last century (1898 – 1976). His works were cutting edge for the time, twisting wires to make three-dimensional “drawings in space”. He was well known for producing beautifully balanced hanging mobiles and monumental bolted steel sheet sculptures.

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The National Gallery of Victoria’s (NGV) exhibition ‘Alexander Calder: Radical Inventor’ is now open. Almost 100 of Calder’s works are on display including early childhood sculptures, avant-garde innovations and later life large-scale objects.

In conjunction with this exhibition, children have the opportunity to unleash their inner inventor at the Alexander Calder: Workshop for Kids.

‘The NGV is dedicated to nurturing young creative minds through year-round programming tailored to children and families. Alexander Calder: Workshop for Kids is a participatory exhibition designed to inspire learning and art-making for visitors of all ages, while also exposing children to the work of Calder, a mid-century modernist master.’
Tony Ellwood AM, Director, NGV

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Alexander Calder: Workshop for Kids

The workshop is FREE providing hands-on activities, including constructing paper animal sculptures and a multimedia game to design virtual public artworks across Melbourne.

Multimedia – design public sculptures

Equipped with a virtual toolbox of shapes and colours, kids can enrich Melbourne by designing sculptures at popular sites such as St Kilda Beach, the Royal Botanical Gardens or the NGV.

Animal Sculptures

Alexander was captivated with movement and animals even as a child. At age 11 he gave his parents sculptures he’d made of a dog and a duck. Taking direction from this fascination, kids can create their own little animal sculpture by interlocking cardboard pieces and using folding techniques.

Dates: 5 April – 4 August 2019
Time: 10am-5pm
Location: National Gallery of Victoria
Price: Alexander Calder: Workshop for Kids – FREE

Price: Alexander Calder: Radical Inventor Exhibition
Adult $22, Conc $18, Child (5 – 15yrs) $10, Family (2 Adults + 3 Children) $60
Book tickets

NGV – National Gallery of Victoria