Alexander Calder’s miniature circus performance at Whitney Museum

Between 1926 and 1931, American sculptor Alexander Calder (1898–1976) created a miniature circus, the Cirque Calder, using wood, wire, and fabric. The Whitney Museum of New York, which now owns the components, released a video excerpt from a 1950s film by Jean Painlevé showing Calder personally staging the performance. The piece features classic circus acts—acrobats, magicians, tamers, and animals—animated by hand and mechanical devices. It combines sculpture, installation, and performance, anticipating later contemporary art experiments.