How I Explore Paris Through Art

A Note from Teri

One of my favorite things about being in Paris is stumbling into experiences that completely stay with me, and this Alexander Calder exhibit was one of them. The exhibition spans nearly 50 years of his work, from the playful Calder Circus pieces that captivated the Paris art scene in the 1920s to the monumental sculptures that later transformed public art in the 1960s and 70s. Walking through the exhibit, surrounded by his floating mobiles inside the stunning Frank Gehry-designed spaces, it almost feels like the artwork is dancing around you. In the US alone, there are nearly 100 public works of art!

What I loved most was the range of it all. Alongside Calder’s famous mobiles and stabiles, there are wire portraits, paintings, drawings, sculptures, and even jewelry he created. The entire exhibit feels immersive and alive, full of movement, light, balance, and creativity. It’s one of those exhibits that makes you slow down, look closer, and leave feeling inspired.

What makes the exhibition feel especially beautiful is that it doesn’t present Calder in isolation. His work is placed in conversation with the wider creative world he was part of, giving you a sense of how alive and experimental that era really was. You start to see how his ideas connected to a much bigger movement of artists redefining what art could be.

There’s also this incredible mix of photography woven throughout the show that captures Calder in such a human, everyday way, almost like you’re watching him move between art and life at the same time. Alongside some of his most iconic pieces are smaller works that feel playful, inventive, and full of motion. The whole exhibit carries this feeling of discovery, like you’re witnessing not just finished works, but an entire creative world unfolding around you.

One thing I love doing at exhibits like this is listening to the audio guides as I wander through the space, and it completely changes the experience for me. There’s something so special about moving slowly through the rooms while hearing the stories behind the work. It feels less like observing art from a distance and more like stepping inside of it.

With the Calder exhibition especially, the audio adds this quiet layer of atmosphere and context that makes everything feel even more immersive. You’re taking in the movement of the pieces while hearing the intention and history behind them at the same time, and it creates this almost magical rhythm as you move through the exhibit. It’s one of those small things that makes you feel so much more present inside the experience.

“Hotspots: Calder’s Flamingo.” In The Loop, Columbia College Chicago, March 29, 2021.

One thing I’ve always thought was so cool about Calder is how his work exists out in the world in such a public way. He has a piece in Chicago downtown, and recently Lily was at the Grand Rapids airport and immediately recognized one of his sculptures there. There’s something really special about being able to spot these works in everyday life and actually know a little bit about them, it makes art feel so much more alive and connected to the world around you.

---

The Last Crumb

One of Roy’s very favorite things to eat is french breakfast radishes with butter. He loves them as an appetizer, and we wanted to do a fun version as a sandwich in the park. Plus it was the perfect excuse to do something with our amazing Celtic Sea Salt. It happened to totally go viral.

But, it went viral partially because people were so triggered by the radishes. It was a delicious simple sandwich with greens, breakfast radishes, Celtic Sea Salt, dressing, and butter. A lot of people showed up who are very passionate about hating radishes. Ten thousand people have sent it to someone. Honestly, there is nothing I get a bigger kick out of than having a little giggle about this. Go take a peek at the post and let us know what you think!

---

Follow Along with Teri

xoxo,