The Seattle Art Museum (SAM) has announced a new exhibition, "Monochrome: Calder and Tara Donovan," as part of its ongoing Calder at SAM initiative. Opening May 13, 2026, and running through January 17, 2027, the show is co-curated by artist Tara Donovan and Catharina Manchanda, SAM's Jon and Mary Shirley Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art. It explores how both Alexander Calder and Donovan use monochrome—particularly black—to examine materials, movement, and perception. Donovan's works from five series, including installations made from tar paper and Mylar, will be displayed alongside two of Calder's matte black pieces: the mobile "Jacaranda" (1949) and the stabile "Mountains" (1976).
This exhibition matters because it continues SAM's innovative Calder at SAM series, which invites contemporary artists to reinterpret Calder's legacy through their own practice. By pairing Donovan's industrial, biologically inspired installations with Calder's iconic mobiles and stabiles, the show highlights how a limited palette can amplify materiality and form. It also reinforces SAM's role in fostering dialogue between historical and contemporary art, building on previous collaborations with artists like Thaddeus Mosley. For visitors, the exhibition offers a fresh lens on Calder's work while showcasing Donovan's ability to transform everyday materials into immersive, perceptual experiences.