Calder's French Connection Celebrated in New Exhibitions

Retrospectives and installations across France honor the American artist's deep ties to the country.

Mar. 20, 2026 at 10:00pm

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A series of new exhibitions and installations in France are celebrating the centennial of Alexander Calder's arrival in Paris and the lasting impact of the American artist's Gallic connections. Highlights include a major retrospective at the Fondation Louis Vuitton, outdoor sculptures displayed at châteaus in the Loire Valley, and the opening of Calder Gardens in the artist's native Philadelphia.

Why it matters

Calder's time in Paris in the 1920s was formative, as he immersed himself in the city's avant-garde scene and forged deep ties with France that would influence his art for the rest of his career. These new shows explore Calder's French connection and cement his legacy as one of America's most renowned and pioneering modern artists.

The details

After moving to Paris in 1926, the young American artist Alexander Calder spent several years immersing himself in the city's vibrant creative community, forming friendships with luminaries like Marcel Duchamp, Joan Miró, and Jean Arp. This period laid the groundwork for Calder's later iconic mobiles, stabiles, and other innovative works that redefined modern sculpture. Calder maintained strong ties to France, eventually buying a home and studio in the Loire Valley that became his primary residence for much of his final two decades.

  • Calder first moved to Paris in 1926.
  • Calder's centennial in Paris is being celebrated in 2026.
  • A major Calder retrospective opens at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris on April 15, 2026.
  • Calder sculptures will be installed at châteaus across the Loire Valley this fall.
  • Calder Gardens, a permanent home for rotating displays of Calder's work, opened in the artist's native Philadelphia last fall.

The players

Alexander Calder

An American artist known for his pioneering mobiles, stabiles, and other innovative sculptural works that redefined modern art.

Alexander S.C. "Sandy" Rower

Calder's grandson and head of the Calder Foundation.

Fondation Louis Vuitton

A Paris-based art museum hosting a major Calder retrospective in 2026.

Marc Glimcher

The president of Pace Gallery, which has been involved with Calder's work and estate since the 1980s.

Piet Oudolf

The garden designer who curated the native plant landscape for Calder Gardens in Philadelphia.

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What they’re saying

“Paris was a tremendously fertile place for him, and he loved France. He was super-accepted in France, where still today a lot of people think he was French.”

— Sandy Rower, Calder's grandson

“Calder changed everything. He's the guy who took art off the wall, off the pedestal, and redefined what it was in a completely modern way.”

— Marc Glimcher, President of Pace Gallery

“The show, on the one hand, is about Calder's radicality, his innovations, the signs of modernity in his work. He was so much ahead of his time.”

— Dieter Buchhart, Guest curator, Fondation Louis Vuitton

What’s next

In 2027, the Pompidou Center in Paris is organizing an exhibition featuring some of Calder's stage sets and costumes, further exploring the performative nature of his art.

The takeaway

Calder's deep connections to France, forged during his formative years in 1920s Paris, had a lasting impact on his groundbreaking artistic innovations that continue to captivate audiences today. These new exhibitions across France celebrate Calder's centennial in the country and cement his legacy as a titan of modern art.