8.3 Claes Oldenburg

Claes Oldenburg revolutionized sculpture by transforming everyday objects into giant, playful artworks. His soft sculptures and public installations challenged traditional notions of art, blurring the line between high culture and popular imagery.

As a key figure in Pop Art, Oldenburg used humor and irony to comment on consumer culture. His collaborations with Coosje van Bruggen produced iconic public sculptures that redefined the role of art in urban spaces.

Overview of Claes Oldenburg

• Claes Oldenburg (1929-2022) was a Swedish-born American sculptor, best known for his public art installations and soft sculpture versions of everyday objects
• Oldenburg's work was a significant contribution to the Pop Art movement, which sought to challenge traditional art forms by incorporating imagery from popular culture and mass media
• His sculptures often featured food items, domestic objects, and consumer goods, which he recreated in unconventional materials and scales, blurring the lines between art and everyday life

Oldenburg's role in Pop Art

• Oldenburg was a key figure in the Pop Art movement of the 1960s, alongside artists such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and Tom Wesselmann
• He helped to establish Pop Art as a major force in the art world, challenging the dominance of Abstract Expressionism and redefining the boundaries of art

Association with New York art scene

Top images from around the web for Association with New York art scene

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  Claes Oldenburg: Shuittlecock and Steam Tower | cometstarmoon | Flickr View original

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  Bogart and Claes Oldenburg | Bogart at the opening (and firs… | Flickr View original

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  The Best Things in Life Are... | FREE Pop-art statue in Clev… | Flickr View original

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  Claes Oldenburg: Shuittlecock and Steam Tower | cometstarmoon | Flickr View original

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  Bogart and Claes Oldenburg | Bogart at the opening (and firs… | Flickr View original

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Top images from around the web for Association with New York art scene

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  Claes Oldenburg: Shuittlecock and Steam Tower | cometstarmoon | Flickr View original

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  Bogart and Claes Oldenburg | Bogart at the opening (and firs… | Flickr View original

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  The Best Things in Life Are... | FREE Pop-art statue in Clev… | Flickr View original

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  Claes Oldenburg: Shuittlecock and Steam Tower | cometstarmoon | Flickr View original

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  Bogart and Claes Oldenburg | Bogart at the opening (and firs… | Flickr View original

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• Oldenburg was an active participant in the vibrant New York art scene of the 1960s, which was centered around galleries, performance spaces, and artist collectives in downtown Manhattan
• He was involved with the Judson Gallery, an important venue for avant-garde art and performance, and collaborated with artists such as Jim Dine and Allan Kaprow on Happenings and other experimental art events

Reimagining everyday objects

• Oldenburg's sculptures often took the form of oversized, soft versions of mundane objects, such as hamburgers, toilets, and household appliances
• By transforming these objects into works of art, Oldenburg challenged traditional notions of what constituted "high art" and encouraged viewers to see the aesthetic potential in the everyday world around them
• His works often had a playful, humorous quality, but also served as a commentary on American consumer culture and the commodification of art

Soft sculpture innovations

• Oldenburg is widely regarded as a pioneer of soft sculpture, a technique in which he created large-scale, pillowy versions of everyday objects using materials such as vinyl, cloth, and foam rubber
• His soft sculptures were a radical departure from traditional sculptural materials like bronze, marble, and wood, and challenged viewers' expectations about the nature of sculpture

Vinyl as primary medium

• Oldenburg frequently used vinyl as a primary material in his soft sculptures, as it allowed him to create objects that were both durable and flexible
• Vinyl also had connotations of cheapness and disposability, which aligned with Oldenburg's interest in elevating the status of mundane, mass-produced objects

Contrasting hard vs soft

• Oldenburg's soft sculptures often played with the contrast between the hardness and solidity of the objects they represented and the softness and malleability of their actual form
• This contrast challenged viewers' perceptions and expectations, and encouraged them to think about the relationship between form and function, as well as the ways in which materials can be used to convey meaning

Exaggeration of scale

• Many of Oldenburg's soft sculptures were created on a massive scale, with some reaching heights of over 20 feet
• This exaggeration of scale served to further emphasize the absurdity and visual impact of his transformations, and to create a sense of monumentality and presence that was at odds with the typically small, intimate nature of the objects being represented

Monumental public installations

• In addition to his soft sculptures, Oldenburg is also known for his large-scale public installations, which he created in collaboration with his wife, Coosje van Bruggen
• These installations often took the form of giant, playful versions of everyday objects, such as a 45-foot-tall clothespin in Philadelphia or a 96-foot-long shuttlecock in Kansas City

Collaboration with Coosje van Bruggen

• Beginning in the 1970s, Oldenburg began collaborating with Dutch artist Coosje van Bruggen on his large-scale public projects
• Van Bruggen, who was trained as an art historian and curator, brought a new level of theoretical and conceptual rigor to Oldenburg's work, and helped to expand the scope and ambition of his public installations
• Together, Oldenburg and van Bruggen created some of the most iconic and recognizable public artworks of the late 20th century

Architectural & landscape integration

• Oldenburg and van Bruggen's public installations were often designed to interact with and respond to their architectural and landscape surroundings
• For example, their 1985 sculpture "Spoonbridge and Cherry" in Minneapolis' Walker Art Center sculpture garden features a giant spoon bridging a pond, with a massive cherry perched on its tip
• By integrating their sculptures into the built and natural environment, Oldenburg and van Bruggen sought to create a sense of surprise, delight, and engagement for viewers

Iconic works in major cities

• Oldenburg and van Bruggen's public installations can be found in major cities around the world, including New York, Paris, Frankfurt, and Tokyo
• Some of their most iconic works include the "Clothespin" in Philadelphia, the "Typewriter Eraser" in Seattle, and the "Dropped Cone" in Cologne, Germany
• These sculptures have become beloved landmarks and symbols of their respective cities, and have helped to redefine public art as a playful, accessible, and interactive form of expression

Oldenburg's artistic process

• Oldenburg's artistic process was characterized by a combination of careful planning, experimentation, and improvisation
• He often began by making small-scale sketches and models of his proposed sculptures, which he would then refine and elaborate upon through a process of trial and error

Sketches & preparatory drawings

• Oldenburg was a prolific sketcher and draftsman, and often used drawing as a way to work out his ideas and explore different variations on a theme
• His sketches ranged from quick, gestural studies to highly detailed, finished drawings, and provide a fascinating glimpse into his creative process
• Many of Oldenburg's sketches and preparatory drawings have been exhibited and published in their own right, and are considered important works of art in their own right

Transformation of mundane items

• A key aspect of Oldenburg's artistic process was his ability to transform mundane, everyday items into works of art through a process of abstraction, exaggeration, and material transformation
• He would often take an ordinary object, such as a hamburger or a lipstick tube, and reimagine it on a monumental scale, using unconventional materials and techniques
• This process of transformation allowed Oldenburg to reveal the hidden beauty and significance of the everyday world, and to challenge viewers' assumptions about what constitutes art

Humor & irony in art

• Humor and irony were also important elements of Oldenburg's artistic process, and he often used them to subvert viewers' expectations and to create a sense of playfulness and absurdity in his work
• For example, his giant soft sculptures of food items, such as the "Floor Burger" or the "Soft Toilet," use humor and exaggeration to comment on American consumer culture and to challenge traditional notions of sculpture
• At the same time, Oldenburg's use of irony also served to underscore the serious intent behind his work, and to encourage viewers to think more deeply about the role of art in society

Influence on contemporary sculpture

• Oldenburg's work has had a profound influence on the development of contemporary sculpture, and continues to inspire and challenge artists working today
• His use of unconventional materials, his emphasis on process and experimentation, and his engagement with popular culture and the everyday world have all become hallmarks of contemporary sculptural practice

Challenging traditional materials

• Oldenburg's use of soft, pliable materials like vinyl and foam rubber challenged traditional notions of what materials were suitable for sculpture, and opened up new possibilities for artists working in three dimensions
• His work helped to break down the hierarchies and conventions of traditional sculpture, and to create a more democratic and inclusive vision of what sculpture could be

Expansion of sculptural possibilities

• Oldenburg's work also expanded the possibilities of what sculpture could represent and communicate, by incorporating elements of performance, installation, and public art into his practice
• His soft sculptures and public installations blurred the boundaries between art and life, and challenged viewers to reconsider their relationship to the objects and spaces around them
• By bringing sculpture out of the gallery and into the public realm, Oldenburg helped to redefine the role of art in society and to create new opportunities for public engagement and participation

Impact on public art installations

• Oldenburg's collaborations with Coosje van Bruggen on large-scale public installations have had a lasting impact on the field of public art, and have helped to establish the idea of sculpture as a social and interactive form of expression
• Their works have become iconic landmarks in cities around the world, and have helped to shape public perceptions of what public art can be and do
• By creating sculptures that are both visually striking and conceptually engaging, Oldenburg and van Bruggen have inspired a new generation of artists to think more broadly about the possibilities of public art, and to create works that challenge and delight viewers in equal measure