Verbal Description Transcript:

This Untitled mobile dates from 1936. It is made of brass wire, glass, buttons, and string. It measures 1 foot 8 inches high by 1 and a half feet wide by 1 and a half feet deep. This is an abstract hanging mobile, suspended on a single cord. From this cord hangs a horizontal bar, with a string hanging from each end. From these two strings are suspended two branching arrangements of smaller horizontal bars and hanging strings; and tied to the end of each string by twisted wires is a small object. These are all slightly different in shape, size and color: they consist of rough chunks of glass in varying shades of translucent or opaque blue; and little round buttons. The arrangement of strings and objects is asymmetrical: there are more objects hanging on one side than on the other. But despite this, the mobile achieves a delicate state of balance between its elements. This is thanks to the positioning of the central cord, which is placed off center, on the heavier side where there are more hanging pieces. The mobile is very light: any air current will cause the bars and strings to swing and twist on their chain, and the fragments of glass to catch the light.