F rank Stella’s Adelante surges forward in sharp, metallic rhythms. Alexander Calder’s Four Big Dots sways with the unseen forces of air. Created just one year apart, these two groundbreaking works redefined the language of modern art—and this May, they return to the Sotheby’s New York auction block in two major evening sales.
In this video, Sotheby’s specialists Lucius Elliott and David Galperin unpack the radical innovations of Frank Stella and Alexander Calder. From the sculptural movement of Calder’s mobiles to Stella’s optical precision on canvas, their bold approaches broke with tradition and set new directions for 20th century art.
Alexander Calder’s Four Big Dots will lead the Modern Evening Auction on 13 May at 7 PM EST. Frank Stella’s Adelante will be offered in The Now and Contemporary Evening Auction on 15 May at 7:30 PM EST. Both auctions are presented in partnership with CELINE.
These two monumental works are on view in our York Avenue galleries through their auction dates, as part of our always-free public exhibitions, open daily starting 2 May.
