Oldenburg, Claes << klaws >> (1929-2022), was an American sculptor and a leader of the Pop Art movement during the early 1960’s. He became known for his exaggerated, oversized sculptures that represent such familiar objects as ice cream cones, electric plugs, lipstick tubes, and Mickey Mouse.
Using these objects as the single subjects of his works, Oldenburg created two principal types of sculpture. One of these types consists of sculptures that are made of soft material, thus contradicting the hardness of the actual objects. This soft material is frequently in a bright color that is related to its subject. The second type is made up of huge steel monuments of common objects designed to be placed in landscapes or among buildings. By creating these caricatures of everyday objects, Oldenburg changed recognizable objects into abstract forms.
Oldenburg was born on Jan. 28, 1929, in Stockholm, Sweden. He became a United States citizen in 1953. Oldenburg is also noted for excellent preparatory drawings for his sculptures and for prints of his sculpture subjects. He died on July 18, 2022.
