Claes Oldenburg 1 Claes Oldenburg

Claes Oldenburg Birth name Claes Oldenburg

Born January 28, 1929Stockholm,

Nationality Swedish-American

Field , Public Art

Training Latin School of , ,

Movement

Claes Oldenburg (born January 28, 1929) is a Swedish sculptor, best known for his public art installations typically featuring very large replicas of everyday objects. Another theme in his work is soft sculpture versions of everyday objects.

Biography

Claes Oldenburg was born in , Sweden, the son of a Swedish diplomat stationed in New York. In 1936 his father was transferred to Chicago where Oldenburg grew up, attending the Latin School of Chicago. He studied at Yale University from 1946 to 1950, then returned to Chicago where he took classes at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. While further developing his craft, he worked as a reporter at the City News Bureau of Chicago. He also opened his own studio and, in 1953, became a naturalized citizen of the United States. His first recorded sales of artworks were at the 57th Street Art Fair in Chicago, where he sold 5 items for a total price of $25.[1] He moved back to New York City in 1956. There he met a number of artists, including , , and , whose incorporated theatrical aspects and provided an alternative to the that had come to dominate much of the art scene. Claes Oldenburg, Soft Bathtub (Model)—Ghost Version 1966, acrylic and pencil on foam-filled The most memorable aspects of Oldenburg's works are perhaps, the canvas with wood, cord, and plaster. Hirshhorn colossal that he has made in partnership with his late wife, Museum, Washington, DC . Sculptures, though quite large, often have interactive capabilities. One such interactive early sculpture was a soft sculpture of a tube of lipstick which would deflate unless a participant re-pumped air into it. In 1974, this sculpture, Lipstick (Ascending) on Caterpillar Tracks, was redesigned in a sturdier aluminum form, the giant lipstick being placed vertically atop tank treads. Originally installed in Beinecke Plaza at Yale, it now resides in the Morse College courtyard.

Many of Oldenburg's large-scale sculptures of mundane objects elicited public ridicule before being embraced as whimsical, insightful, and fun additions to public outdoor art. In the 1960s he became associated with the Pop Art movement and created many so-called happenings, which were related productions of that time. The name he gave to his own productions was "Ray Gun Theater". His first wife -(1960–1970) Pat Muschinski who Claes Oldenburg 2

sewed many of his early soft sculptures, was a constant performer in his happenings. This brash, often humorous approach to art, was at great odds with the prevailing sensibility that, by its nature, art dealt with "profound" expressions or ideas. But Oldenburg's spirited art found first a niche then a great popularity that endures to this day. Between 1969 and 1977, Oldenburg was in a relationship with the feminist artist and sculptor, , who died in 1993.[2] They shared several studios and traveled together, and Wilke often photographed him. Oldenburg's collaboration with Dutch/American writer and art historian Coosje van Bruggen dates from 1976. They were married in 1977.[3] In 1988, he and van Bruggen created the iconic Spoonbridge and Cherry sculpture for the in , Minnesota that remains a staple of the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden as well as a classic image of the city. In addition to freestanding projects, they occasionally contribute to architectural projects, most notably the former Chiat/Day advertising agency headquarters designed by Frank O. Gehry in the district of , —the main entrance is a pair of giant binoculars. The advertising agency DDB is the current tenant. Another well known construction is the Free Stamp in downtown , Ohio. This Free Stamp has an energetic cult following. In 2000, he was awarded the .[4] In 2001, Oldenburg and van Bruggen created 'Dropped Cone', a huge inverted ice cream cone, on top of a shopping center in , Germany.[5] His wife died on January 10, 2009 from the effects of breast cancer. Claes Oldenburg supposedly has a work of art on the moon in the Moon Museum. Claes Oldenburg is represented by The in New York.

Gallery

Typewriter Free Stamp, outside City Hall in Crusoe Umbrella by Clothespin by Eraser, Scale X, Cleveland, Ohio. Claes Claes Oldenburg and Claes by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Coosje van Bruggen, Oldenburg, Oldenburg and Bruggen, Painted steel-plate 1979, Cor-Ten steel 1976. Public art Coosje van 1985 (unveiled in 1991). painted with displayed near Bruggen polyurethane enamel. Philadelphia 1999, painted Public art located in City Hall in stainless steel Nollen Plaza, Des Philadelphia. and Fiberglas Moines, Iowa. The form of the National Gallery sculpture is a of Art, visual pun Washington, referencing the DC. tower of City Hall. Claes Oldenburg 3

Spring by Claes Oldengurg in The Bottle of Notes Dropped Cone Pencil signature of Claes Cheonggyecheon, , Korea sculpture in by Claes Oldenburg from 1990. Middlesbrough UK. Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, 2001. Situated on top of a shopping centre in the Neumarkt area of Cologne, Germany.

Books • Busch, Julia M., A Decade of Sculpture: the New Media in the 1960s (The Art Alliance Press: Philadelphia; Associated University Presses: , 1974) ISBN 0-87982-007-1 • Axsom, Richard H., Printed Stuff: Prints, Poster, and Ephemera by Claes Oldenburg A Catalogue Raisonne 1958–1996 (Hudson Hills Press: 1997) ISBN 1-555951-23-6 • Oldenburg, Claes Raw Notes: Documents and Scripts of the Performances: Stars, Moveyhouse, Massage, The Typewriter, with annotations by the author. (The Press of the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design: Halifax, 2005) ISBN 0-919616-43-7 • Gianelli, Ida and Beccaria, Marcella (editors) Claes Oldenburg Coosje van Bruggen: Sculpture by the Way Fundació Joan Miró 2007 • Valentin, Eric, Claes Oldenburg, Coosje van Bruggen. Le grotesque contre le sacré, Paris, collection Art et artistes, Gallimard, 2009. ISBN 978-2-07-078627-5

References [1] David McCracken, "The Art Fair That's Been In the Picture the Longest", , June 5th, 1987, page 3 [2] Nancy Princenthal, Hannah Wilke, Prestel Publishing, New York

[3] "Claes Oldenburg & Coosje van Bruggen: Biographies" (http:/ / oldenburgvanbruggen. com/ biography/ bios-individual. htm). OldenburgVanBruggen.com. . Retrieved 13 April 2011.

[4] Lifetime Honors – National Medal of Arts (http:/ / www. nea. gov/ honors/ medals/ medalists_year. html#00)

[5] http:/ / www. oldenburgvanbruggen. com/ largescaleprojects/ droppedcone. htm Dropped Cone

External links

• Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen's website (http:/ / www. oldenburgvanbruggen. com/ )

• The Pace Gallery (http:/ / thepacegallery. com)

• Claes Oldenburg (http:/ / www. moma. org/ collection/ artist. php?artist_id=4397) at the Museum of

• Oldenburg page at the Guggenheim Museum site (http:/ / www. guggenheimcollection. org/ site/ artist_bio_121. html)

• An anthology of Oldenburg's work, includes brief bio (http:/ / artnetweb. com/ oldenburg/ index. html)

• Claes Oldenburg: Making the Ordinary Extraordinary (http:/ / www. nga. gov/

education/ schoolarts/ oldenburg. htm) Claes Oldenburg 4

• Pop Art Masters – Claes Oldenburg (http:/ / www. popartmasters. com/ toc. html#masters)

• Biography of Claes Oldenburg (http:/ / www. artinfo. com/ artists/ profile/ biography/ 286/ claes-oldenburg/ )

• (http:/ / www. visual-arts-cork. com/ sculpture/ claes-oldenburg. htm) Article Sources and Contributors 5 Article Sources and Contributors

Claes Oldenburg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=426721215 Contributors: ABF, ALadinN, Abutorsam007, Adashiel, Addshore, Aillema, Aitias, Alansohn, AlexGWU, Ande B., Anna512, Antique Rose, Antonio Lopez, Artemis-Arethusa, Avjoska, Avogadro94, Benkaye99, BillFlis, Boberger, Bobo192, Bquazz, Brianga, Bryanbrudunday, Bus stop, Calliopejen1, Caltas, Camdaman13, Can't sleep, clown will eat me, Capricorn42, Casperruegg, Cbernasc, Cbustapeck, Clarince63, CommonsDelinker, Cosprings, Cow heaven, Crohnie, CzarB, D6, DARTH SIDIOUS 2, Daverocks, Deepfriedmario, Discospinster, Doulos Christos, Drszucker, Dureo, EdBever, Egmontaz, Emerson7, Epbr123, Eric-Wester, Ethicoaestheticist, EurekaLott, Ferraridriver101, Flopy, Found5dollar, Fredde 99, Gakusha, Gamaliel, Gfoley4, Ghrimdevil, Goodvac, Gurch, Hades The Devourer, HaeB, Hans Dunkelberg, Hauganm, Hello32020, Hidrugarn, Honky72, Hughsonj, Hullaballoo Wolfowitz, IRP, Ii oDDsOcKs x, It Is Me Here, J.delanoy, JNW, JPLei, JVinocur, Jac16888, Jammycaketin, Jauerback, Jeff G., Jennavecia, Jeroenl, Joey80, JohnCD, Jojhutton, JorgeGG, Joseph Solis in Australia, Jusdafax, Keilana, Kingpin13, Kjhughes, Kukini, L Kensington, LassenLass, LeaveSleaves, Lightdarkness, Little Mountain 5, Locos epraix, Lokifer, Lord Pistachio, Lyght, Mandarax, Marek69, Margarethopkins, Martin451, MarylandArtLover, MasterNetHead, Materialscientist, Maxbeck, Me1002, Meaghan, MesserWoland, Mic, Michael David, MikaCrystacia, Mike Rosoft, Mirandaferd, Modernist, Morganfitzp, MrBibichon, MuZemike, Mumia-w-18, NawlinWiki, Nejandashmun, Nemesis of Reason, Netsnipe, Nez202, OlenWhitaker, OohBunnies!, PDH, Patstuart, Pbryant, Petiatil, Phantomsteve, Philip Trueman, Pink Bull, Postdlf, Puchiko, Reach Out to the Truth, Recognizance, Reg porter, Regibox, Rettetast, Rodhullandemu, Ryecatcher773, SaveThePoint, Sbisolo, Sgraziano, Shadowjams, Shawnhath, Shoehorn, Sketchmoose, Sluzzelin, Someone else, Sparkit, SpecMode, Spikebrennan, Spinster, Stepshep, Storebridge, Syrthiss, TOMAZ205, The Thing That Should Not Be, The wub, Thepress, Thingg, Thismightbezach, Tohd8BohaithuGh1, Tornadocave, Trusilver, Tyler, Tyrenius, Udzu, UnseemlyWeasel, Valentinian, Versus22, Viajero, Vrenator, Wac-pr, Wahoofive, Why Not A Duck, WikiTome, Wikitumnus, Wizardman, Wmpearl, Woohookitty, Wynand.winterbach, Wysprgr2005, Yaksar, Youghart191, Zashaw, 603 anonymous edits Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors

Image:Soft Bathtub.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Soft_Bathtub.jpg License: GNU Free Documentation License Contributors: User:Postdlf Image:Typewriter Eraser, Scale X.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Typewriter_Eraser,_Scale_X.jpg License: unknown Contributors: User:Postdlf File:FreeStamp.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:FreeStamp.jpg License: unknown Contributors: MamaGeek at en.wikipedia Image:Crusoe umbrella.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Crusoe_umbrella.jpg License: Public Domain Contributors: User:CommonismNow, User:EvaK Image:City hall and clothespin.JPG Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:City_hall_and_clothespin.JPG License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 2.5 Contributors: User:CommonismNow, User:EvaK Image:Cheonggyecheon spring.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Cheonggyecheon_spring.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Contributors: Kang Byeong Kee Image:Middsbottle37.JPG Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Middsbottle37.JPG License: GNU Free Documentation License Contributors: EvaK, Gerardus, Thomas Gun, 1 anonymous edits Image:Dropped cone Cologne.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Dropped_cone_Cologne.jpg License: GNU Free Documentation License Contributors: User:Jammycaketin File:Claes Oldenburg, 1990.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Claes_Oldenburg,_1990.jpg License: Public Domain Contributors: User:Wmpearl License

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