Claes Oldenburg

Overview

Because my work is naturally non-meaningful, the meaning found in it will remain doubtful and inconsistent - which is the way it should be. All that I care about is that, like any startling piece of nature, it should be capable of stimulating meaning.

Claes Oldenburg (1929–2022) was a pioneering figure in contemporary art, celebrated for his playful, oversized sculptures and innovative approach to everyday objects. A key contributor to the Pop Art movement, Oldenburg challenged traditional notions of sculpture by transforming mundane items—such as food, clothing, and tools—into bold, often humorous artworks. His editioned works and multiples demonstrate his creative versatility and reflect his deep interest in scale, material, and form.

Explore rare and limited multiples by Claes Oldenburg available at our gallery exhibition open from 8 May to 29 June.

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Related Artists

Roy Lichtenstein

Keith Haring

Andy Warhol

Works

Orpheum Sign, from the International Anthology of Contemporary Engraving: The International Avant-Garde: America Discovered, volume 5, 1964 portfolio, 1962
Tea Bag, from the portfolio 4 on Plexiglas, 1966
Fire Plug Souvenir - "Chicago August 1968", 1968
Fagend Study, 1968
Pop Art, 1969
Sculpture in the Form of Trowel Stuck in the Ground (Model), 1969
M. Mouse (with) 1 Ear (equals) Tea Bag Blackboard Version (1965), from the New York Collection for Stockholm portfolio, 1973
Soft Alphabet, 1978
Screwarch Bridge (State II), 1980
Tilting Neon Cocktail, 1983
Profiterole, 1989
Centennial Print, Judson Memorial Church, 1990
The Soap at Baton Rouge , 1990
Museum à la mode, from the Museum für Moderne Kunst portfolio, 1994
Notebook Torn in Half (State I), 1997

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Biography

Claes Oldenburg (1929–2022) was an American sculptor and pop artist known for his playful and larger-than-life works that blurred the boundaries between art and everyday life. Born in Stockholm, Sweden, he immigrated to the United States with his family in 1936 and later studied at Yale University (B.A. in Literature and Art History, 1950) and at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (1950–1954).

Throughout his career, Oldenburg experimented with a variety of materials and forms, from soft sculptures made of fabric and vinyl in the early 1960s to monumental public sculptures in steel and concrete from the 1970s onward. His works often drew inspiration from everyday objects such as food, clothing, and household items, which he reimagined on a massive scale to create striking and surreal visual experiences.

One of Oldenburg's most famous works was The Store (1961), a temporary installation in New York that featured a storefront filled with sculptural versions of everyday items such as hamburgers, typewriters, and shoes. The installation challenged traditional ideas of what art could be, blurring the line between art and commerce and highlighting the beauty and absurdity of the objects people encountered in daily life.

Oldenburg’s works were highly prized by collectors for their bold and playful imagery, often featuring his signature oversized forms and vivid colours. His sculptures were exhibited in major museums and galleries worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Tate Gallery in London, and the Centre Pompidou in Paris. Over the decades, he received numerous awards, including the National Medal of Arts in 2000.

We are pleased to announce our forthcoming exhibition, Claes Oldenburg: Multiples, opening 8 May at Shapero Modern. Join us to explore how this visionary artist redefined the landscape of contemporary art through his playful and provocative editioned works.

Exhibitions