Postmodernism surely requires an even greater grasp of symbolism, as it's increasingly an art of gesture alone. - Andrew Eldritch (English singer)

Claus Oldenburg's installations merge pop art and post modern sculpture into iconic imagery.


He will forever for me, be the first artist to come to mind when talking pop art post modern sculptors. I think perhaps it's because his, 'Stake Hitch' was the first (and only) piece I've seen in person, not just in pictures. It was in the late 80's at the Dallas Museum of Art and I remember reveling in the ground view perspective, feeling like a tiny insect. Making the ordinary extraordinary was Claus Oldenburg's calling card, and best known for his large installations typically replicas of everyday objects. He also did many soft medium themes which are now recognized as the first sculptural expressions of pop art. Over the years his focus remained presenting these objects on a magnified scale to reverse the relationship between viewer and object. His first works were made of assorted materials, cardboard, burlap, and newspapers. Later, he shifted, creating from chicken wire covered with plaster-soaked canvas and enamel paint.
The notion of enlarging a diminutive, everyday object and placing it in a landscape - an idea integral to Oldenburg's monumental public art - comes to us from the Surrealists (such as Magritte, Dali and Ernst). In this respect, Oldenburg is the most Surreal of the Pop artists and his sculptures are like Surrealists dreams made real. - The Art Story
Many of his works were made in collaboration with his wife, Coosie van Bruggen, who was also a sculptor, art historian, curator, and critic. Together, they produced over 30 years of sculptures until her death from breast cancer at age 66.

Comments

  1. Love al of these! We should drive to Aurora Texas.. there's a giant crashed spaceship and alien sculpture waiting for us to take lots of pictures with. -just as thought :-|

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  2. The sculptures look so fun to create and are awesome photo props.

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