My struggle has been to return painting to the tangible object, which is like returning the personality to touching and feeling the world around it, to offset the tendency to vagueness and abstraction. To remind people of practical activity, to… — 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
