Alexander Calder: The Nature of Movement
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
Celebrating the 10 year anniversary of of the Jean & Alfred Goldstein Exhibition series, the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens is showcasing the work of artist Alexander Calder and his connection to nature through May 31, 2026.
The American sculptor is best known for his innovative mobiles and monumental pubic sculptures. The Calder Gardens located on Philadelphia’s Benjamin Franklin Parkway opened in September 2025 where the 1.8 acre indoor-outdoor center features several of his works. Calder’s work is a great source of interest to the team at Selby Gardens. His fascination with energy and motion, coupled with his exploration of suspension and equilibrium, provides creative inspiration for the dynamic display of epiphytes, or air plants.
“It is an honor to present our 2026 Jean & Alfred Goldstein Exhibition, dedicated to the pioneering work of Alexander Calder,” said Jennifer Rominiecki, President and CEO of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. “This exhibition offers a thoughtful exploration of Calder’s profound engagement with the performing arts—particularly his fascination with the circus, which holds special significance in Sarasota’s cultural narrative.”
Selby Gardens is a leading center for the study of air plants and is home to the best scientifically documented collections of living epiphytic orchids and bromeliads in the world.
The Calder exhibition at Selby Gardens highlights the artist’s use of abstract forms that resonate with nature. The exhibition also explores Calder’s fascination with the circus, stemming from his studies of performers and animals at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1925. The circus is a subject of great local interest in Sarasota, which became the winter quarters of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1927.
“We are proud to continue advancing the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens interdisciplinary mission through this meaningful presentation as The Living Museum®” said Rominiecki.
Alexander Calder: The Nature of Movement
On view through May 31, 2026
Downtown Sarasota Campus of
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
1534 Mound Street, Sarasota, FL 34236
www.selby.org
* Featured photography by by Matthew Holler
