They asked me to do a show, and I was planning on showing my figure paintings. But my friends told me I shouldn't - the paintings were good but a little old-fashioned. They said, "Why don't you show the other… — Claes Oldenburg Copy Share Image
In 1958 I finally found a large enough apartment on the Lower East Side, where I reverted to figure painting. I drew and painted quite a lot of figures and nudes. People would come and pose for me. — Claes Oldenburg Copy Share Image
I had no idea what art was. There was one art class in high school, but it didn't make a big impression on me.… — Claes Oldenburg Copy Share Image
I am an immigrant in a sense. What happened was that my father was stationed in New York when my mother became pregnant, and… — Claes Oldenburg Copy Share Image
I started to draw buildings. I called them Proposed Colossal Monuments - they weren't for real, not for actual building. It was more a… — Claes Oldenburg Copy Share Image
Food is like clay; you can sculpt with it. Also it has an odor, and you can eat it. I don't eat a lot… — Claes Oldenburg Copy Share Image
I am for an art that tells you the time of day, or where such and such a street is. I am for an… — Claes Oldenburg Copy Share Image
I knew I wasn't that good a writer, and all I could remember was that I could draw. I'm better at drawing than I… — Claes Oldenburg Copy Share Image
“I am for an art that imitates the human, that is comic, if necessary, or violent, or whatever is necessary. I am for an… — Claes Oldenburg Copy Share Image
The art world was very small and the people got together at parties. There was less commercialism. — Claes Oldenburg Copy Share Image
A life cycle can be imposed on an object. An object can be very energetic and active, and then it has a dying phase… — Claes Oldenburg Copy Share Image
I don't do abstract art because I don't find it as interesting as I do subjects and depictions. — Claes Oldenburg Copy Share Image
Actually, New York is great for playing around. I made a lot of studies for New York-a big vacuum cleaner lying on the Battery… — Claes Oldenburg Copy Share Image
