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
$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
'Geometric Mouse, Scale C'
By Claes Oldenburg
Located in New York, NY
Claes Oldenburg’s 'Geometric Mouse, Scale C' (1971) exemplifies his playful yet thought-provoking approach to Pop Art by transforming an everyday object into a bold sculptural statem...
Metal
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
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
$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
$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
$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
$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
Starry Night Party - Original Wall Sculpture
Located in AMSTERDAM, NL
Uri Dushy's pop art piece stands out as a testament to his decades-long exploration of art's origins, blending artistic genres to forge provocative and captivating creations. This pi...
Metal
$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
$955
H 11.03 in W 6.7 in D 6.7 in
Retro Gumball Machine Sculpture Polymer Clay Candy Mosaic Pop Art Object
By Elizabeth Art Candy
Located in FISTERRA, ES
Retro gumball machine sculpture in lightweight polymer clay, combining candy mosaic techniques, nostalgia and Pop Art aesthetics. Candy Machine Yellow belongs to Elizabeth Art Candy...
Clay
$932Sale Price|20% Off
H 11.82 in W 11.82 in D 1.58 in
Colorful Floral Bubble Wall Sculpture Polymer Clay Mosaic Wall Art Painting
By Elizabeth Art Candy
Located in FISTERRA, ES
Colorful floral bubble wall sculpture composed of hundreds of hand-modeled polymer clay elements, creating a lightweight mosaic of color, texture and organic growth. Flower Bubbles ...
Clay, Spray Paint, Board
$1,690
H 15.75 in W 15.75 in D 1.97 in
Pastel Candy Mosaic Contemporary Clay Relief Wall Sculpture
By Elizabeth Art Candy
Located in FISTERRA, ES
Pastel candy mosaic wall sculpture composed of hand modeled clay forms arranged in a dense contemporary relief with playful sculptural texture. This contemporary clay relief transfo...
Clay, Spray Paint, Board
$1,165
H 11.62 in W 11.62 in D 1.97 in
Pink Floral Bubble Clay Wall Sculpture 3D Mosaic Panel in Hand Molded Ceramic
By Elizabeth Art Candy
Located in FISTERRA, ES
Pink floral bubble clay wall sculpture in hand molded ceramic relief forming a 3D mosaic panel with clustered organic composition. This wall-mounted 3D mosaic panel is composed of i...
Clay, Spray Paint, Board
$188,900
H 3.25 in Dm 3.5 in
Yayoi Kusama -Original HAND SIGNED 7/30 Pumpkin (Red) Sculpture on base with box
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in New York, NY
Yayoi Kusama Extremely scarce - true collectors item - one of only 30 in the entire world hand signed by the artist. Original Limited Edition hand signed and numbered Pumpkin (Red),...
Ceramic, Resin, Mixed Media, Permanent Marker
$4,080
H 31.5 in W 31.5 in D 1.97 in
Large Abstract Bubble Wall Sculpture in Hand Molded Clay 3D Mosaic Panel
By Elizabeth Art Candy
Located in FISTERRA, ES
Large abstract bubble wall sculpture in hand molded clay forming a multicolor 3D mosaic panel with high relief surface. This large-scale wall sculpture is composed of individually h...
Clay, Spray Paint, Board