Ahmedabad to London

Now,more than 50 years later,London gallerist Pilar Ordovas has brought together these works in an exhibition titled “Calder in India”. Curated at the Ordovas gallery,the show comprises,among others,works from the genre Calder is best-known for — mobile sculptures,made of rods and metal shapes,suspended from the walls by wires. The display includes eight of the nine sculptures created during Calder’s stay in Ahmedabad. There are two more — one titled Six moons over a mountain,which Calder sent to the Sarabhais before his visit,and another untitled work referred to as Blue Dot,purchased by the Sarabhais earlier.

The exhibition gives a glimpse into Calder’s impressions of India. It was a trip he had accepted immediately,when a letter of invitation arrived for him in 1954 from Gira Sarabhai.

Even before he came here,Calder was intrigued by the mention of the kite-flying festival,a cultural ritual in Ahmedabad that takes place in January every year. “I certainly don’t want to miss that,” he wrote in a letter,adding that he would just bring his pliers and no other tools.

His studio,which was set in the family compound,influenced him and that reflected in his artwork. So,there is an installation titled Guava,dedicated to the Indian fruit,and Franji Pani,which was reportedly inspired from a tree in the Sarabhai garden. “The exhibition presents a unique opportunity to see the works that Calder produced in response to India and perhaps,the last opportunity to see them again all together,” notes the gallery.

It took a decade to bring the exhibition together,and the gallery gives credit to Sarabhais for the collection. “Many prominent artistic figures were brought to Ahmedabad,thanks to the friendship and patronage of Kamalini,Gautam and Gira Sarabhai and their connections with the West,” says a note from the gallery,pointing out that even Le Corbusier,Isamu Noguchi,John Cage,Charles Eames, Henri Cartier-Bresson and Robert Rauschenberg had Sarabhais as their hosts. The Hermes family,which owns the well-known French saddler and luxury brand,too,has had a long familial relationship with the Sarabhais.

While the works displayed are not on sale,the show comes immediately after Calder’s success at Christie’s,as an artist record was set by the sculptor when his 1945 work Lily of Force,1945,sold for $18.6 million (Rs 104 crore approximately).