From left: Birds Of A Feather Mobile, Retro Owl Mobile
Feeling stumped on what to put in that empty corner of your home or outdoor patio? Hanging mobiles in your home is an easy way to bring the outdoors in and bring life to those boring corners where other decor just doesn’t work. Their movement simulates the waving of branches or movement of water. Hanging a mobile in the garden or in the kitchen will add an air of tranquility and artistry to an otherwise plain space.
Mobiles can be artistic or tacky, flashy or simple, but regardless of your style, mobiles are a staple of home decor. In particular, we love our Birds of a Feather Mobile made of walnut plywood – a perfectly balanced, modern art piece perfect for any room of the house, patio, or balcony. The Retro Owl Mobile is a welcome addition to any modern nursery room, functioning both as a whimsical decoration and playful entertainment (also available in White and Brown).
Please Note: Birds of a Feather Mobile ships flat and some assembly required
Why are mobiles so enchanting?
- The mobility provides a different connection between the piece of art and the people observing it.
- Watching a mobile move according to undetectable air currents in a room, on a patio or porch, is oddly mesmerizing and soothing.
- At every minute, the sculpture changes, but in a way remains the same. It shows the outward effects of the environment in which it is placed, reflecting what the people watching it feel.
The art of balance
Alexander Calder designed the first true mobiles, but Marcel Duchamp coined the term mobile. The concept of mobile, movable sculptures was entirely new during the 1920s and 1930s when Calder was designing. Legend has it, when he was only ten years old, Alexander Calder made his parents a sculpture of a lion as a gift. What’s the difference between this little sculpture, and the creations of other kids his age you ask?
The parts of the lion moved. Today, we might take the mobile form for granted, but back in the 1920′s, it was revolutionary.
A well-designed mobile is truly a work of art, regardless of price. Most people can remember making a mobile-like creation in art class at one time or another.
- More often than not, the whole project would clump together in one saggy mess (because it was a mess) under the hanger.
- For a mobile to be truly beautiful, well-balanced and functional, each piece has to be carefully balanced with the last.
- Without exact balance, the mobile won’t look like a floating sculpture, it will look like a shirt hanging half-off its hanger.
Tags: birds of a feather mobile, indoor decor, nature-inspired, outdoor decor, Retro Owl Mobile
