Episode 13: The Sandman and the Art Addict - Alexander Calder, “Silver Bedhead”, 1946 Commissioned by Peggy Guggenheim
Alexander Calder’s Silver Bedhead, 1946, silver.
This week, Stephanie Dueñas and Russell Shoemaker tread through the fascinating history behind the sculpture work Silver Bedhead from 1946 by Alexander “Sandy'“ Calder, mobile master, commissioned by Peggy Guggenheim, a woman whose art addiction influenced Modern Art History of the last century.
They go back to the beginning of Peggy and Sandy’s lives when each experienced serendipitous moments that changed the trajectory of their lives, their paths running parallel to one another until art brought them together resulting in the one-of-a-kind work discussed in today’s episode.
Topics include secret bookstores, a hefty inheritance, a miniature circus, baguette bopping, and Stephanie’s encounter with a too mobile mobile.
Our Art Pantry of the week is Craft.
A huge thank you to photographer Steph Black, who let us use her images of “Silver Bedhead”. You can check out her work here: Steph Black Photography
Music featured in this episode was by Rob Lynch and Jonathan Hughes from the album Public / Private. Consider supporting their work!
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Alexander Calder’s Silver Bedhead, 1946, silver. Detail.
Alexander Calder’s Silver Bedhead, 1946, silver. Detail.
Alexander Calder’s Silver Bedhead, 1946, silver. Detail.
Alexander Calder’s childhood Dog and Duck, 1909, brass sheet metal.
Josephine Baker (III), steel wire sculpture by Alexander Calder c. 1927. 39 x 22 3/8 x 9 3/4"
Alexander Calder with his mobile “21 Feuilles Blanche” in Paris, 1954.
A young Peggy Guggenheim in Paris.
Portrait of Marcel Duchamp by Man Ray, 1920-21. Longtime friend and art advisor to Peggy Guggenheim.
The Museum of Non-Objective Painting, c. 1940s (later the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum).
Baroness Hilla Von Rebay, art director of the MONOP/ Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City.
Peggy Guggenheim in her Art of this Century Gallery in New York City, 1942.
View of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection from the Accademia Bridge, Venice, Italy.
Palazzo dei Leoni aka The Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice, Italy.
Peggy taking a rooftop respite, Venice, Italy.
Peggy Guggenheim and her dogs in her bedroom with Alexander Calder’s Silver Bedhead, 1946
Peggy with her dogs and bat wing sunglasses on her palazzo rooftop overlooking the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy 1950.
Peggy Guggenheim and Alexander Calder’s Arc of Petals mobile at the Venice Biennale in 1948.
Peggy G. and her mobile earrings by Alexander Calder.
Photo by Surrealist photographer Man Ray of Louisa Calder wearing Calder’s jewelry in 1931
Georgia O’Keefe wearing a brooch by Alexander Calder c.1930s
Actor Anjelica Huston modeling a 1940 brass Calder jewelry piece, c. 1976
Actor Laura Dern at the Met Gala in 2018 wearing an Alexander Calder piece.
Peggy and her Silver Bedhead. Photo by Tony Vaccaro, 1968.
