Claes Oldenburg
Swedish-American·1929–2022
No Portrait Available
Claes Oldenburg (1929-2022) was a Swedish-born American sculptor who turned everyday objects into monumental public art. Born in Stockholm, he grew up in Chicago and studied at the Art Institute before moving to New York in 1956. He became a key figure of Pop Art, creating soft vinyl sculptures of hamburgers, typewriters, and ice cream cones.
From the 1970s onward, Oldenburg (often collaborating with his wife Coosje van Bruggen) created colossal outdoor sculptures of clothespins, spoons, shuttlecocks, and other mundane items for cities worldwide. His playful, deadpan approach turned the ordinary into the monumental. Our collection includes works at major American museums.
Sculptures by Claes Oldenburg
2 sculptures catalogued with museum locations. Browse all sculptures
About Claes Oldenburg
Oldenburg is known for giant sculptures of everyday objects: a 45-foot clothespin in Philadelphia, a 51-foot shuttlecock in Kansas City, and a cherry on a spoon in Minneapolis. He also created soft fabric versions of hard objects like typewriters and toilets.
Oldenburg was a leading figure of Pop Art. His early 1960s work, including The Store (a shop selling plaster replicas of food and consumer goods), helped define the movement's irreverent, anti-elitist spirit.
Coosje van Bruggen (1942-2009) was a Dutch-American sculptor and art historian who collaborated with Oldenburg on most of his large-scale public sculptures from 1976 until her death. She co-designed iconic works like Spoonbridge and Cherry.
Love Claes Oldenburg's Style?
Explore art inspired by their style.
Browse Collection