The aesthetic value of these objects cannot be arrived at by reasoning — Alexander Calder

"The sense of motion in painting and sculpture has long been considered as one of the primary elements of the composition."

"It is a matter of harmonizing these movements, thus arriving at a new possibility for beauty."

"Question: Which has influenced you more, nature or modern machinery? I havent really touched machinery except for a few elementary mechanisms like levers and balances. You see nature and then you try to emulate it. But, of course, when I met Mondrian [Paris, 1930] I went home and tried to paint [for a while]. The basis of everything for me is the universe. The simplest forms in the universe are the sphere and the circle. I represent them by disks and then I vary them. My whole theory about art is the disparity that exists between form, masses and movement. Even my triangles are spheres, but they are spheres of a different shape."

"Question: Do you make preliminary sketches? Ive made so many mobiles that I pretty well know what I want to do, at least where the smaller ones are concerned. But when Im seeking a new form, then I draw and make little models out of sheet metal. Actually the one at Idlewild [Airport (in the International Arrival Building)] is forty-five feet long and was made from a model only seventeen inches long. For the very big ones I dont have machinery large enough, so I go to a shop and become the workmans helper."

"Question, Léger once called you a realist. How do you feel about this? Yes, I think I am a realist. Because I make what I see. Its only the problem of seeing it. If you can imagine a thing, conjure it up in space - then you can make it, and tout de suite youre a realist. The universe is real but you cant see it. You have to imagine it. Once you imagine it, you can be realistic about reproducing it."

"The admission of approximation is necessary, for one cannot hope to be absolute in his precision. He cannot see, or even conceive of a thing from all possible points of view, simultaneously. While he perfects the front, the side, or rear may be weak; then while he strengthens the other facade he may be weakening that originally the best. There is no end to this. To finish the work he must approximate."