What are the two terms used to describe Alexander Calder's kinetic sculptures?

• A. Stabile, Mobile
• B. Render
• C. Fresco
• D. Layout

Answer: (A)

Calder’s moving sculptures are described with two terms: mobile and stabile. A mobile refers to the hanging, kinetic works that move when air currents or balance shift them, so they seem to float and rotate in space. A stabile is the opposite kind—these are standing sculptures fixed on a base, designed to be in one place even though their parts may still show dynamic balance or internal movement. Calder even coined the term stabile to distinguish these stationary forms from the mobiles. The other words don’t fit because render, fresco, and layout belong to painting or design processes, not to describing Calder’s two main categories of kinetic sculpture.