Claes Oldenburg
Claes Oldenburg ( born January 28, 1929 in Stockholm as Claes Thure Oldenburg ) is next to Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein, the most important representatives of American Pop Art In particular, he became known for sculptures that are made from simple materials or represent everyday objects. Oldenburg worked since 1976 with the Dutch artist Coosje van Bruggen ( 1942-2009 ) together; they were married since 1977.
Life and work
Claes Oldenburg was born in Stockholm as the son of a Swedish diplomat. From 1930 to 1933, he grew up in New York and in Rye, New York, and then to 1936 in Oslo, from 1936 to 1946 in Chicago where Oldenburg graduated from the Latin School of Chicago. 1946 to 1950 he studied at the Yale University Art and English literature and took until 1954 a course at the Art Institute in Chicago. During his studies he worked as a journalist and graphic designer. Followed in 1953 his first exhibition of satirical drawings. His first paintings were strongly influenced by Abstract Expressionism, but remained largely illustrative. In 1956 he moved to New York City, where he made the acquaintance of artists such as Allan Kaprow Happening, Jim Dine, Red Grooms, Lucas Samaras and George Segal, who influenced his enthusiasm for collages and objects.
From 1958 Oldenburg produced assemblages of paper mache and various waste products of (very often with a choice of different substances ), which he processed in a garish colors and alienation. 1958 and 1959 series are drawings on the subject of The Street and the first sculptures, 1963, the first soft vinyl Sculptures and statues. As of 1965, Claes Oldenburg focused on colossal objects in which he alienated everyday objects monumentality, and the first drafts of "Giant Objects". Together with Jim Dine, Marc Ratliff and Tom Wesselmann 1959 he founded the Judson Gallery of Judson Memorial Church.
In 1982 he produced about a 12 meter high pickaxe for Documenta 7 in Kassel.
Also jointly developed with Coosje van Bruggen sculpture Inverted Collar and Tie in Frankfurt am Main at the foot of the 208 meter high skyscraper Westend road is known 1 with more than ten meters high, oversized strongly upwards " fluttering " tie is a satire on the in skyscraper -working, always properly dressed office workers dar. Oldenburg lives in New York.
The Museum Ludwig in Cologne shows 2012 may be the last time the early work of Oldenburg. The materials have not survived the ages unscathed and are not easily transportable.
Exhibitions (selection)
Collections (selection)
- National Graphic Arts Collection, Munich
- Museum of Modern Art, Frankfurt am Main (former collection Karl Ströher )
- Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York
- MoMA New York