ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Alexander Calder's "Mountains and Clouds" Reunited After Restoration in Senate Office Building

institutional · 2026-09-30

Two separated halves of Alexander Calder's monumental sculpture "Mountains and Clouds" have been brought back together in the Senate office building, according to a report published by The New York Times on September 30, 2026. The reunification effort encountered numerous obstacles before donors and legislators from both political parties intervened to move the project forward. The sculpture, a large-scale work by the American artist Alexander Calder, had been divided into two distinct components, and the restoration sought to restore its original unified form. The involvement of bipartisan lawmakers and private donors proved decisive in overcoming the logistical and financial hurdles that had stalled the initiative. The work is installed in a Senate office building, placing a major modern sculpture within a working government setting. The restoration returns the piece to its intended configuration, undoing the split that had defined its presentation for years. No completion date beyond the September 2026 report was specified, and the exact funding figures and donor identities were not disclosed in the source material.

Key facts

  • Alexander Calder created the monumental sculpture "Mountains and Clouds."
  • The work was split into two halves that were reunited through restoration.
  • The restoration took place in a Senate office building.
  • Donors and legislators from both parties intervened to advance the project.
  • The effort to reunite the sculpture encountered many snags.
  • The New York Times reported on the restoration on September 30, 2026.
  • The sculpture is a large-scale public work by Calder.
  • Bipartisan support and private funding were key to completing the reunification.

Entities

Artists

Institutions

  • The New York Times
  • United States Senate

Locations

  • United States
  • Washington, D.C.

Sources