Contemporary Art History Notes
Reminiscent of Dada – found object and happenings
Claes Oldenburg
“The Street” & “The Store” 1961 located at the Ray Gun Theater
What part is nature? What part is new?
Found object
A “street” and “store front” in a new venue
He is not creating, these are things are found and are to be viewed as art because of how they are paired. Cardboard burnt and disheveled. Demonstrating a store front, view from street.
No single focus. Similar to happening dada preformances.
Probably still using “good” poetry
Everything is an artistic experience, no single focus.
Wht is he trying to communicate. Its not anti-culutral like dada, instead its just right off the streets.
~~The bridging of art and life.
Big problem with happenings-
People where not thinking about technology
With technology you can take pictures and video to document. Even though they had the camera it just wasn’t really used.
Video tape- new thing
“Ray Gun Theater” was the location
Not a pretty place, must have called it art.
You are forced to look at it as art. New view
One foot in the past, a little dada or a small happening. But relating to the now
Themes and objects of a store, but presenting them in a new fashion.
Fake hamburgers and hotdogs
Critics where negative, but commercially he was okay.
Assortment of pasteries
Chuck taylors
Small space small objects
When he was given a bigger space he made bigger objects.
Slice of chocolate cake and big ice cream cone.
There is a transition
(teacher said he might have done it because its more practical)
he is the inventor of “soft sculpture”
Floor cake (giant piece of cake) 1962
Synthetic polymer paint and latex on canvas, filled with foam rubber and cardboard boxes.
First food from the store, then starts making appliances
i.e. the soft toilet.
Soft electric mixers
Is there a sexual innuendo?
Think about salvidor dali surrealistic method
Claes Oldenburg
Geometric mouse, scale A
Claes
Claes Oldenburg
“The Street” & “The Store” 1961 located at the Ray Gun Theater
What part is nature? What part is new?
Found object
A “street” and “store front” in a new venue
He is not creating, these are things are found and are to be viewed as art because of how they are paired. Cardboard burnt and disheveled. Demonstrating a store front, view from street.
No single focus. Similar to happening dada preformances.
Probably still using “good” poetry
Everything is an artistic experience, no single focus.
Wht is he trying to communicate. Its not anti-culutral like dada, instead its just right off the streets.
~~The bridging of art and life.
Big problem with happenings-
People where not thinking about technology
With technology you can take pictures and video to document. Even though they had the camera it just wasn’t really used.
Video tape- new thing
“Ray Gun Theater” was the location
Not a pretty place, must have called it art.
You are forced to look at it as art. New view
One foot in the past, a little dada or a small happening. But relating to the now
Themes and objects of a store, but presenting them in a new fashion.
Fake hamburgers and hotdogs
Critics where negative, but commercially he was okay.
Assortment of pasteries
Chuck taylors
Small space small objects
When he was given a bigger space he made bigger objects.
Slice of chocolate cake and big ice cream cone.
There is a transition
(teacher said he might have done it because its more practical)
he is the inventor of “soft sculpture”
Floor cake (giant piece of cake) 1962
Synthetic polymer paint and latex on canvas, filled with foam rubber and cardboard boxes.
First food from the store, then starts making appliances
i.e. the soft toilet.
Soft electric mixers
Is there a sexual innuendo?
Think about salvidor dali surrealistic method
Claes Oldenburg
Geometric mouse, scale A
Claes