Lipstick (Ascending) on Caterpillar Tracks began its existence as an outdoor monument at Yale University, later moving to the Morse College courtyard. This installation reflects the career of Claes Oldenburg, an artist who transformed mundane consumer goods into large-scale public sculptures, bridging the gap between mass-market aesthetics and the rigid traditions of the twentieth-century art world.
Formative Years and Education
Born in Stockholm in 1929, Claes Oldenburg relocated to Chicago following his father's appointment as the consul general of Sweden. He attended the Latin School of Chicago before enrolling at Yale University from 1946 to 1950. His early professional life included a period as a reporter for the City News Bureau of Chicago and further study at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He naturalized as a United States citizen in 1953 and moved to New York City in 1956, where he worked at the Cooper Union Museum for the Arts of Decoration.
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Oldenburg gained prominence for challenging the dominance of abstract expressionism through his performance art and soft sculptures. His process evolved from using cardboard and burlap to incorporating plaster-soaked canvas and enamel paint. In 1961, he rented a space in Manhattan to present The Store, an installation filled with sculpted consumer items. During this decade, he organized the Ray Gun Theater performances in collaboration with various artists and his first wife, Patty Mucha.
Collaborative Public Monuments
Beginning in the 1970s, Oldenburg shifted his focus toward public commissions. His collaboration with Coosje van Bruggen began in 1976; they married in 1977 and produced over 40 large-scale projects together. Notable works from this period include the reworked Trowel I for the Kröller-Müller Museum and Spoonbridge and Cherry at the Walker Art Center. From 1981 onwards, he officially signed his works with both his name and that of van Bruggen.
Fast facts
- Born: 1929, Stockholm
- Died: 2022, Manhattan
- Citizenship: United States, Sweden
- Primary Movement: Pop art
- Education: Yale University, Latin School of Chicago
- Notable Partner: Coosje van Bruggen
- Key Award: National Medal of Arts
Questions readers ask
What materials did Oldenburg use for his early sculptures?
He initially utilized everyday materials like cardboard, burlap, and newspapers, later shifting to chicken wire covered in plaster-soaked canvas and enamel paint.
Did Oldenburg collaborate with other artists?
Yes, he frequently collaborated with his wife, Coosje van Bruggen, on large-scale public projects, and earlier in his career, he worked with artists such as Jim Dine, Red Grooms, and Allan Kaprow on performance art.
Achievements
- National Medal of Arts
- Rolf Schock Prize in Visual Arts — 1995
- Wolf Prize in Arts — 1989
- Notable work: Lipstick (Ascending) on Caterpillar Tracks
- Movement: pop art
