Sculptpedia Statues, Busts and Sculptures Park sculptures and installations Ancient World & Antiquity Middle Ages & Renaissance Marble & Other Stones Bronze & Other Metals

Flamingo

Flamingo is a 16-meter-tall red steel stabile located on Federal Plaza in Chicago, Illinois, directly across from the Kluczynski Federal Building. Created by American artist Alexander Calder, it was commissioned by the General Services Administration and was the first artwork commissioned under the agency’s "Percentage Art" program. Calder was chosen for his international reputation and the need to bring rounded, dynamic form to the plaza’s rectilinear modern office buildings. The model was unveiled at the Art Institute of Chicago, and the sculpture was later unveiled to the public on Federal Plaza. Calder’s signature on the work indicates that it was erected in 1973.

Flamingo, a large red abstract steel sculpture, stands in a city plaza with tall buildings in the background and a person near its base.
Flamingo, Alexander Calder’s red abstract sculpture, rises in a downtown plaza beneath a clear sky.
July 2010 © · CC BY 2.0
Flamingo, a large red abstract sculpture, stands in an urban plaza with city buildings behind it.
Flamingo rises in a Chicago plaza, framed by surrounding high-rise buildings.
September 2013 © · CC BY-SA 3.0
Flamingo, a large bright red abstract sculpture in a city plaza with tall buildings behind it.
Flamingo stands in a public plaza surrounded by Chicago skyscrapers.
June 2006 © · CC BY-SA 3.0
Flamingo red abstract sculpture in an urban plaza with tall glass buildings behind it
Flamingo, Alexander Calder’s red steel sculpture, stands in a downtown plaza framed by nearby buildings.
July 2015 © · CC BY 2.0
Flamingo sculpture in red steel rising above a crowd in front of a dark building with reflective windows.
Flamingo’s red steel forms rise above the crowd in downtown Chicago.
September 2019 © · CC BY-SA 4.0

Identification

TitleFlamingo
Typestabile sculpture

Historical context

Art movementConstructivism
Constructivism originFirst popularized in Russia in the early 20th century

Creator

ArtistAlexander Calder
Artist nationalityAmerican

Discovery and provenance

Commissioned byUnited States General Services Administration
Commission contextFirst work of art commissioned by the General Services Administration under the federal Percent for Art program
Reason for commissionChosen for Calder's international reputation; the site required a form with rounded, dynamic surfaces to complement the rectilinear office-building environment
Model presentation dateApril 23, 1973
Model presentation venueArt Institute of Chicago
Public unveiling dateOctober 25, 1974
Associated eventAlexander Calder Day, marked with a circus parade

Physical characteristics

ScaleLarge-scale; massive
MobilityCompletely stationary; not designed to move with air currents
Weight50 tons
Height16 meters (52 feet)

Materials

MaterialSteel

Appearance

ColorVermilion, also known as Calder red
NicknameRed Calder
FormAbstract, arching form with dynamic surfaces that alludes to the natural and animal world

Technique

ConstructionMade of several parts joined together

Location and ownership

Nearby building architectLudwig Mies van der Rohe
Nearby buildingsKluczynski Federal Building and Dirksen Federal Building
LocationFederal Plaza, Chicago, Illinois, United States, in front of the Kluczynski Federal Building

History and restoration

Original installation year1974
Signature date on sculpture1973
Meaning of signature dateCalder's signature indicates the sculpture was finished in 1973
Color choiceChosen to contrast with the black and steel surroundings of nearby office buildings
RepaintingRepainted in 2012 in its historic Calder red color

Significance

SignificanceA prominent example of the stabile form and a pioneer work in Calder's career

Other

Viewer interactionViewers can walk underneath and around it, allowing it to be perceived at human scale despite its size
Model historyA model was displayed in the Federal Plaza post office before inauguration and is now in the Modern Wing of the Art Institute of Chicago