American artist Alexander Calder worked as an engineer before attending the Art Students League in New York. He moved to Paris in 1926 and became friends with avant-garde artists including Joan Míro. Calder is best known for his wire sculptures, suspended mobiles and monumental outdoor sculptures. He represented the US at the 1952 Venice Biennale. His work is held in public collections worldwide including the Whitney Museum of American Art; MoMA, New York, and the Centre Pompidou, Paris.