Alexander Calder, Untitled (Mobile), about 1942. Wire, painted sheet steel, and painted linen cords. Decorative Arts Special Fund. © 2026 Calder Foundation, New York / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.
Alexander Calder, Untitled (Mobile), about 1942. Wire, painted sheet steel, and painted linen cords. Decorative Arts Special Fund. © 2026 Calder Foundation, New York / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.
Forms of Modernism: Materials and Meaning in 20th-Century Sculpture
1:00 pm–2:30 pm
Tickets (Member / Nonmember)
In-Person $28 / $35
Livestream $16 / $20
Consider how 20th-century artists reimagined meaning through choice of materials and methods of constructing their sculpture. From bronze, plaster, and terracotta in more traditional figurative work to the radical use of found objects emerging from Dada and Cubism, artists expanded what sculpture could be. Using the new Rosamund Zander and Hansjörg Wyss Gallery of 20th-century sculpture as a source, look at works by artists from Pablo Picasso to Alexander Calder, Jean Arp to Max Ernst, and Louise Bourgeois to Simone Leigh. These artists’ diverse practices reveal how they pushed the boundaries of expression and transformed the ways in which we think about three-dimensional art making in the present.
Ian Alteveer, Beal Family Chair, Department of Contemporary Art, MFA
Yutong Shi, curatorial assistant, Department of Contemporary Art, MFA
Course Packages
Purchase a ticket package for the full four-session “Reintroducing Modernism at the MFA” course. Please note that this option is not available after the date of the first session.
Assistive listening system
Wheelchair accessible
Ticket Information
To order tickets by phone, call 1-800-440-6975 ($6 processing fee applies); to order in person, visit any MFA ticket desk.
Livestream Tickets
The livestream ticket gives access to a live feed of the event that can be watched remotely. You must be logged in to the account used to purchase the ticket in order to access the livestream on the Video Content page. Please log in at least 5 minutes before the start of the event to test your connection.
Livestream ticket holders must watch the event live; there is no recording of the event available for viewing at a later time.
Bag Checks
All bags are subject to inspection by Museum staff. Backpacks, large bags, all liquids including hand sanitizer and sunscreen, and outside food or drink are not permitted. Exceptions are made for medical or religious needs. All bags are strongly discouraged, and any bags larger than 11” x 15” must be checked in the Coat Room upon entry. Read our full bag check policy.