One of the original Pop artists, Claes Oldenburg was born in Stockholm. The son of a Swedish diplomat, he spent his early years in Stockholm and Oslo until the family moved to Chicago in 1937.
Oldenburg attended Yale University, then returned to Chicago, where he worked for a newspaper and also attended drawing classes at the Art Institute. He moved to New York in 1956.
Oldenburg’s early art in New York were works of urban realism in cardboard and paper that were influenced by the work of Dubuffet and the New Realists, and were seen as a brutal response to society. In 1961 Oldenburg rented a storefront on the Lower East Side and sold brightly painted plaster objects as well as three-dimensional and wall reliefs based on hamburgers, pastries, men's and women's clothing, and other commodities. The signature soft sculptures followed, objects of commonplace household objects made of vinyl or canvas stuffed with kapok. These pieces transformed the medium — the soft sculptures are intended to be sensual experiences and commentary on our material world of objects and our relationship to them.
In 1965, still working in vinyl, plaster and cardboard, Oldenburg began making large works termed “Colossal Monuments,” which are large public sculptures with public and private meanings. In the 1970s, Oldenburg was fabricating large-scale works in durable materials such as steel, and working with Coosje van Bruggen, he had received many such public commissions in the United States and Europe.
Find authentic Claes Oldenburg sculptures, prints and other art on 1stDibs.
(Biography provided by Art Commerce)
Soft Alphabet
By Claes Oldenburg
Located in London, GB
Complete set of 41 sewn cotton, sand-filled bags, contained in a wooden box with screenprinted box lid, 1978, signed and numbered from the edition 13 of 16 (there are also 2 artist’s...
Cotton, Wood
Profiterole
By Claes Oldenburg
Located in London, GB
Cast aluminium with latex paint, brass, 1989, signed, titled, dated, and numbered by incision on a brass disk in base, from the edition of 75 (there are also 25 artist’s proofs), pub...
Metal, Brass
Miniature Soft Drum Set
By Claes Oldenburg
Located in Miami, FL
Technical Information: Claes Oldenburg Miniature Soft Drum Set 1969 The complete set of 9 sewn screenprinted elements on canvas, some with washline, wood, plastic buttons, rope, metal eye screws and spray enamel with wood base covered with screenprinted paper in colors 9 3/4 x 19 x 13 3/4 in. Artist's Proof - A.P. XVI Initialed and numbered in black ink on the bass drum...
Mixed Media
$9,000
Sculpture in the Form of a Bicycle Saddle Claes Oldenburg surreal pop sculpture
By Claes Oldenburg
Located in New York, NY
Playful, surreal Claes Oldenburg sculpture re-contextualizing a ceramic bicycle seat as a small mountain or geological feature, sitting on a bed of sand atop a square mahogany base. ...
Ceramic, Mahogany
$28,000Sale Price|20% Off
Fire Plug Souvenir-'Chicago August 1968' (Platzker 10), Claes Oldenburg
By Claes Oldenburg
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: Claes Oldenburg (1929-2022) Title: Fire Plug Souvenir-'Chicago August 1968' (Platzker 10) Year: 1967 Medium: Cast plaster with acrylic paint Sculpture Size: 7.875 x 7.5 x 5.8...
Plaster, Acrylic
TILTING NEON COCKTAIL
By Claes Oldenburg
Located in New York, NY
Edition 28/50. Stainless Steel outline of cocktail glass on a black acrylic base with painted wood olive and toothpick.
Stainless Steel
Fire Plug Souvenir - "Chicago August 1968"
By Claes Oldenburg
Located in London, GB
Cast plaster with red acrylic paint, 1968, signed in felt-tip pen, incised 'C.O.' and 'Chicago August 1968' on the base, numbered from the edition of 100, published by the Richard Fe...
Plaster, Acrylic
Geometric Mouse Scale E 'Desktop'
By Claes Oldenburg
Located in Miami, FL
TECHNICAL INFORMATION: Claes Oldenburg Geometric Mouse Scale E 'Desktop' 2013 Painted aluminum sculpture on painted aluminum base 6 1/2 x 8 1/4 x 6 1/...
Aluminum
Sculpture In The Form Of A Bicycle Saddle
By Claes Oldenburg
Located in Miami, FL
TECHNICAL INFORMATION: Claes Oldenburg Sculpture In The Form Of A Bicycle Saddle 1976 Glazed brown ceramic with mahogany base and sand 14 x 8 1/2 x d: 8 1/2 in. Edition of 36 Signed...
Ceramic
Price Upon Request
Fagend Study
By Claes Oldenburg
Located in London, GB
Cast aluminium, hand painted with enamel, conceived 1968, executed 1976, stamped with the artist’s initials, inscribed with title, number, and date on the end of the filter, from the...
Metal, Enamel
$3,950
H 24 in W 12 in D 8 in
"Juicy Juice" Pop Art Sculpture 24" x 12" x 8" inch Edition 1/1 by Kii Arens
By Kii Arens
Located in Culver City, CA
"Juicy Juice" Pop Art Sculpture 24" x 12" x 8" inch Edition 1/1 by Kii Arens ABOUT One of the most credible and influential in Los Angeles - the award winni...
Plexiglass, Mixed Media
$2,850
H 22 in W 11 in D 10 in
"GRASS SPEAKS IN RIDDLES" Abstract Sculpture 22" x 11" x 10" in by Shawn Kolodny
By Shawn Kolodny
Located in Culver City, CA
"GRASS SPEAKS IN RIDDLES" Abstract Sculpture 22" x 11" x 10" in by Shawn Kolodny Medium: Stainless Steel & Automotive Paint Creating art to reflect the times we live in, Kolodn...
Steel
$320Sale Price|20% Off
H 5.9 in W 9.4 in
Kusama Plush Pumpkin (Kusama red & white pumpkin)
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Yayoi Kusama Red & White Pumpkin (plush): An iconic, vibrantly colored pop art piece - this Kusama plush pumpkin features the universal polka dot patterns and bold colors for which t...
Nylon
$560Sale Price|20% Off
H 15 in W 8 in D 8 in
Sinuosity mini in Absinthe (pop green slick metallic smooth small sculpture
By Ted VanCleave
Located in Quebec, Quebec
Mid sized. Absinthe Green Metallic keywords; #sinuous, focus on material, sculptural folds, Aldo Chaparro, use of common materials, creased crinkled and wrinkled, angular, abstract ...
Concrete
$1,150
H 27.5 in W 14 in
Jackson Pollock Bearbrick 1000% figure (Jackson Pollock BE@RBRICK)
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Jackson Pollock 1000% Bearbrick Figurative Sculpture: A nicely sized (27 inch heigh), highly collectible Bearbrick Jackson Pollock statue piece, splattered from head to toe in Pollo...
Resin, Vinyl
$560Sale Price|20% Off
H 10 in W 6 in D 8 in
Sinuosity 133 orange (pop slick metallic smooth small sculpture art)
By Ted VanCleave
Located in Quebec, Quebec
keywords; #sinuous, focus on material, sculptural folds, Aldo Chaparro, use of common materials, creased crinkled and wrinkled, angular, abstract sculpture, angular, process-oriented...
Concrete
$560Sale Price|20% Off
H 8 in W 6 in D 4 in
sinuosity 148 black cherry (pop art metallic smooth small sculpture abstract)
By Ted VanCleave
Located in Quebec, Quebec
keywords; #sinuous, focus on material, sculptural folds, Aldo Chaparro, use of common materials, creased crinkled and wrinkled, angular, abstract sculpture, angular, process-oriented...
Concrete
Futura 2000 'Johnny' vinyl art figure (Futura art toy mindstyle)
By Futura
Located in NEW YORK, NY
'Johnny' by Futura 2000: Futura Figurative Pop Art Sculpture. The ‘Johnny’ vinyl art figure from NYC graffiti legend Futura is inspired by a classic 80s ho...
Resin, Vinyl
$2,000
H 11 in W 5 in
Basquiat Warhol Haring Bearbrick 400%: set of 6 works (Basquiat BE@RBRICK)
By (after) Keith Haring
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Jean Michel Basquiat Andy Warhol Keith Haring Bearbrick 400%: set of 6 individual works: A set of 6 unique, timeless pop art collectibles trademarked & licensed by the estates of Jea...
Resin, Vinyl
Hebru Brantley Flyboy Set of 2 (Hebru Brantley art toys)
By Hebru Brantley
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Hebru Brantley Beyond the Beyond, 2018. Set of 2 Hebru Brantley Flyboy’s, each new in original packaging. Medium: Painted cast vinyl. Dimensions (applies to each individual figure): 9 x 8 x 4 inches (22.9 x 20.3 x 10.2 cm). Each new in its original packaging. From a sold out edition of unknown; published by Hebru Brantley, Billionaire Boys Club & BAIT. Safely packed and shipped from New York, NY. Artist Statement: "Flyboy came out of characters of colour within popular culture. I hate saying “popular culture,” but it’s really popular culture. I mean you look at cartoons. You’ve got animated sponges and ducks and birds and whatever, and it’s very rare to see a popular character within any medium that is African-American, Latino, even Asian. What I wanted to do was create that, but in a space of high art and be able to have some historical context to that character. So I looked at the Tuskegee Airmen...
Resin, Vinyl
Hebru Brantley Flyboy (Hebru Brantley art toy)
By Hebru Brantley
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Hebru Brantley Flyboy, 2018. New in its original packaging. Medium: Painted cast vinyl. Dimensions: 9 x 8 x 4 inches (22.9 x 20.3 x 10.2 cm). New, never displayed; accompanied by original packaging. From a sold out edition of unknown; published by Hebru Brantley, Billionaire Boys...
Resin, Vinyl
$400
H 11 in W 5 in D 4 in
Keith Haring Bearbrick 400% figure (Haring BE@RBRICK)
By (after) Keith Haring
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Keith Haring Bearbrick Vinyl Figures: Set of two (400% & 100%): A unique, timeless collectible trademarked & licensed by the Estate of Keith Haring. The partnered collectible reveals...
Resin, Vinyl
Sold
H 14.88 in W 6.13 in D 5.5 in
London Knees (A. & P. 51; A. 677), Claes Oldenburg
By Claes Oldenburg
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: Claus Oldenburg (1929) Title: London Knees (A. & P. 51; A. 677) Year: 1966 Medium: Pair of cast flexible latex sculptures coated in polyurethane with single acrylic plastic b...
Latex, Polyurethane, Lithograph
Sold
H 9.02 in W 19.02 in D 13 in
Miniature Soft Drum Set - Original Sculpture by Claes Oldenburg - 1969
By Claes Oldenburg
Located in Roma, IT
This Miniature Soft Drum Set is a wonderful contemporary sculpture realized by Claes Oldenburg in 1969. A complete set of nine sewn screenprinted elements on...
Metal
Sold
H 6.8 in W 6.5 in D 0.6 in
N.Y.C. Pretzel, Framed 3-D Sculpture by Claes Oldenburg
By Claes Oldenburg
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Claes Oldenburg, Swedish/American (1929 - ) Title: N.Y.C Pretzel Year: 1994 Medium: Three-ply cardboard multiple with screenprint, stamped with the signature and artist's cop...
Cardboard, Screen
Tilting Neon Cocktail
By Claes Oldenburg
Located in San Francisco, CA
Edition of 50