This is a list of public art by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, also termed their "large scale projects". Oldenburg (1929-2022) and van Bruggen (1942–2009) were married Swedish-American and American-Dutch sculptors (respectively), best known for their Installation art typically featuring very large replicas of everyday objects. This list does not include all other types of artistic works by the artists (for example drawings and "happenings") and other sculptural works which are not public art (for example soft sculptures such as "Giant BLT").
With the exception of the earliest works, Lipstick, Three-Way Plug and Clothespin, all works listed are signed by both artists. Unless specified, dimensions are listed as height × width × depth.
Images may be missing from this list, due to no freedom of panorama provisions for copyrighted three-dimensional artworks in the copyright laws of countries where the affected artworks are located.
| Image | Title | Description | Year | Location | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lipstick (Ascending) on Caterpillar Tracks | Cor-Ten steel, steel, aluminum, cast resin; painted with polyurethane enamel 7.16x | 1969–74 | Samuel F. B. Morse College at Yale University, New Haven, U.S. 41.3129°N -72.9301°W | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/lipstick.htm | ||
| Giant Three-Way Plug | Core-Ten steel and bronze 155x | 1970 | Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin College, Ohio, U.S. 41.2932°N -82.2168°W | http://www.oberlin.edu/amam/Oldenburg_ThreeWayPlug.htm | ||
| Giant Three-Way Plug (Cube Tap) | Core-Ten steel and bronze 297.2× | 1970 | d’Harnoncourt Sculpture Garden, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Pennsylvania, U.S. 39.9669°N -75.182°W | http://www.philamuseum.org/collections/permanent/312790.html | ||
| Clothespin | Cor-Ten and stainless steel 45 ft. x 12 ft. 3 in. x 4 ft. 6 in. (13.7 x 3.7 x 1.4 m) | 1976 | Centre Square Plaza, Philadelphia, U.S. 39.9524°N -75.1656°W | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/clothespin.htm | ||
| Trowel I | Steel painted with polyurethane enamel 12.73x Installed: 11.71x | 1971 | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/trowel.htm | |||
| Trowel II | Cor-Ten steel painted with polyurethane enamel 12.73x Installed: 11.28x | 1971–76 | Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Gardens at PepsiCo, Purchase, U.S. | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/trowel.htm | ||
| Batcolumn | Steel and aluminum painted with polyurethane enamel 96feet high × 9feet diameter, on base high × | 1977 | Harold Washington Social Security Center, Chicago, U.S. | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/batcolumn.htm | ||
| Pool Balls | Reinforced concrete Three 11 ft. 6 in. (3.5 m) diameter | 1977 | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/poolballs.htm | |||
| Crusoe Umbrella | Cor-Ten steel painted with polyurethane enamel 37 × 37 × 58 ft. (11.3 × 11.3 × 17.7 m) Installed: 33 × 37 × 56 ft. (10.1 × 11.3 × 17.1 m) | 1979 | Cowles Commons, Civic Center of Greater Des Moines, Des Moines, Iowa, U.S. | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/crusoeumbrella.htm | ||
| Flashlight | Steel painted with polyurethane enamel 38 ft. 6 in. (11.7 m) high × 10 ft. 6 in. (3.2 m) diameter | 1981 | University of Nevada, Las Vegas, U.S. | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/flashlight.htm | ||
| Split Button | Aluminum painted with polyurethane enamel 16 ft. (4.9 m) diameter × 10 in. (0.3 m) thick height from ground when sited: 4 ft. 11 in. (1.5 m) | 1981 | Blanche Levy Park, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, U.S. | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/splitbutton.htm | ||
| Hat in Three Stages of Landing | Steel and aluminum painted with polyurethane enamel Three hats, each 9 ft. 5 in. × 18 ft. × 15 ft. 5 in. (2.9 × 5.5 × 4.7 m) Each hat is supported on two poles at a different height, equidistant, over an area approximately 162 ft. (49.4 m) long: 19 ft. 3 in. (5.9 m) high 12 ft. 10 in. (3.9 m) high 6 ft. 1 in. (1.9 m) high | 1982 | Sherwood Park, Salinas, U.S. | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/hats.htm | ||
| Spitzhacke (Pickaxe) | Steel painted with polyurethane enamel 36 ft. 9 in. × 44 ft. 6 in. × 3 ft. 8 in. (11.2 × 13.6 × 1.1 m) Installed: 43 ft. 5 in. × 42 ft. 7 in. × 11 ft. 5 in. (13.2 × 13 × 3.5 m) | 1982 | Kassel, Germany | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/spitzhacke.htm | ||
| Gartenschlauch (Garden Hose) | Steel painted with polyurethane enamel Two parts, in an area approximately 6,000 sq. ft. (557.4 sq. m) Faucet: 35 ft. 5 in. × 8 ft. 12 in. × 7 ft. 1 in. (10.8 × 2.7 × 2.2 m) Hose: 410 ft. (125 m) long × 20 in. (0.5 m) diameter | 1983 | Eschholzpark, Freiburg, Germany | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/gartenschlauch.htm | ||
| Screwarch | Aluminum painted with polyurethane enamel 12 ft. 8 in. × 21 ft. 6 in. × 7 ft. 10 in. (3.9 × 6.6 × 2.4 m) | 1983 | Museum Boymans-van Beuningen, Rotterdam, Netherlands | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/screwarch.htm | ||
| Steel and cast iron painted with polyurethane enamel 19 ft. 8 in. × 9 ft. 2 in. × 7 in. (6 × 2.8 × 0.2 m) | 1983 | Haus Esters, Krefeld, Germany | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/toothbrush.htm | |||
| Stake Hitch | Stake: steel, aluminum, epoxy, painted with polyurethane enamel Rope: polyurethane foam, plastic materials, fiber-reinforced plastic; painted with latex Total height: 53 ft. 6 in. (16.3 m) Stake with knot, upper floor: 13 ft. 6 in. × 18 ft. 2 in. × 14 ft. 7 in. (4.1 × 5.5 × 4.5 m) Stake, lower floor: 12 ft. 10 in. × 5 ft. × 3 ft. (3.9 × 1.5 × 0.9 m) Rope, knot to ceiling: 40 ft. (12.2 m) high × 20 in. (0.5 m) diameter | 1984 | Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, U.S. | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/stakehitch.htm | ||
| Balancing Tools | Steel painted with polyurethane enamel 26 ft. 3 in. × 29 ft. 6 in. × 19 ft. 10 in. (8 × 9 × 6.1 m) | 1984 | Vitra International, Weil am Rhein, Germany | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/balancingtools.htm | ||
| Knife Ship I | Steel, wood, plastic coated fabric, motor Closed, without oars: 7 ft. 8 in. × 10 ft. 6 in. × 40 ft. 5 in. (2.3 × 3.2 × 12.3 m) Extended, with oars: 26 ft. 4 in. × 31 ft. 6 in. × 82 ft. 11 in. (8 × 9.6 × 25.3 m) Height with large blade raised: 31 ft. 8 in. (9.7 m) Width with blades extended: 82 ft. 10 in. (25.2 m) | 1985 | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/knifeshipone.htm | |||
| Knife Slicing Through Wall | Stainless steel, steel, stucco Blade: 6 ft × 8 in × 11 ft (1.83 × .20 × 3.51 m) | 1989 | 817 Hillsdale Ave., Los Angeles, U.S. (formerly the Margo Leavin Gallery) | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/knifeslicing.htm | ||
| Toppling Ladder with Spilling Paint | Steel and aluminum painted with polyurethane enamel 14 ft. 2 in. × 10 ft. 8 in. × 7 ft. 7 in. (4.3 × 3.3 × 2.3 m) | 1986 | Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, U.S. | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/topplingladder.htm | ||
| Spoonbridge and Cherry | Stainless steel and aluminum painted with polyurethane enamel 29 ft. 6 in. × 51 ft. 6 in. × 13 ft. 6 in. (9 × 15.7 × 4.1 m) | 1988 | Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, U.S. | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/spoonbridge.htm | ||
| Dropped Bowl with Scattered Slices and Peels | Steel, reinforced concrete, fiber-reinforced plastic; painted with polyurethane enamel; stainless steel Seventeen parts (eight bowl fragments, four peels, five orange sections), in an area approximately 16 ft. 9 in. × 91 ft. × 105 ft. (5.1 × 27.7 × 32 m) | 1990 | Metro-Dade Open Space Park, Miami, U.S. | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/droppedbowl.htm | ||
| La Bicyclette Ensevelie (Buried Bicycle) | Steel, aluminum, fiber-reinforced plastic; painted with polyurethane enamel Four parts, in an area approximately 150 ft. 11 in. × 71 ft. 2 in. (46 × 21.7 m) | 1990 | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/buriedbicycle.htm | |||
| Monument to the Last Horse | Aluminum and polyurethane foam painted with polyurethane enamel 19 ft. 8 in. × 17 ft. × 12 ft. 4 in. (6 × 5.2 × 3.8 m) | 1991 | The Chinati Foundation, Marfa, U.S. | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/monumentlasthorse.htm | ||
| Binoculars | Steel frame. Exterior: concrete and cement plaster painted with elastomeric paint. Interior: gypsum plaster 45 × 44 × 18 ft. (13.7 × 13.4 × 5.5 m) | 1991 | 340 Main Street, Venice, U.S. | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/binoculars.htm | ||
| Free Stamp | Steel and aluminum painted with polyurethane enamel 28 ft. 10 in. × 26 ft. × 49 ft. (8.8 × 7.9 × 14.9 m) | 1991 | Willard Park, Cleveland, U.S. | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/freestamp.htm | ||
| Mistos (Match Cover) | Steel, aluminum, fiber-reinforced plastic; painted with polyurethane enamel Overall: 68 ft. × 33 ft. × 43 ft. 4 in. (20.7 × 10.1 × 13.2 m) | 1992 | La Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/mistos.htm | ||
| Apple Core | Stainless steel, urethane foam, resin, urethane enamel 3m x 2m x 2m | 1992 | http://www.imj.org.il/imagine/collections/item.asp?itemNum=202040 | |||
| Bottle of Notes | Steel painted with polyurethane enamel 30 × 16 × 10 ft. (9.1 × 4.9 × 3.1 m) | 1993 | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/bottleofnotes.htm | |||
| Inverted Collar and Tie | Steel, polymer concrete, fiber-reinforced plastic; painted with polyester gelcoat 39 ft. × 27 ft. 9 in. × 12 ft. 8 in. (11.9 × 8.5 × 3.9 m) | 1994 | Mainzer Landstrasse, Frankfurt am Main, Germany | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/invertedcollarandtie.htm | ||
| Shuttlecocks | Aluminum and fiber-reinforced plastic painted with polyurethane enamel Four shuttlecocks, each 17 ft. 11 in. (5.5 m) high × 15 ft. 1 in. (4.6 m) crown diameter and 4 ft. (1.2 m) nose diameter | 1994 | Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, U.S. | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/shuttlecocks.htm | ||
| Soft Shuttlecock | Steel, aluminum, wood, fiber-reinforced plastic, expanded polystyrene and polyethylene foams, canvas, rope; painted with latex Nosecone, approximately 3 ft. high (0.9 m) × 6 ft. (1.8 m) diameter Nine feathers, each approximately 26 ft. (7.9 m) long × 6 ft. 6 in. (2 m) wide | 1995 | Guggenheim Museum, New York, U.S. | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/softshuttlecock.htm | ||
| Houseball | Stainless steel, fiber-reinforced plastic, jute netting, urethane and polyvinylchloride foams; painted with polyester gelcoat 27 ft. 6 in. (8.4 m) high × 24 ft. 4 in. (7.4 m) diameter | 1996 | Bethlehemkirch-Platz, Berlin, Germany | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/houseball.htm | ||
| Saw, Sawing | Steel, epoxy resin, fiber-reinforced plastic, urethane and polyvinylchloride foams; painted with polyester gelcoat 50 ft. 8 in. × 4 ft. 9 in. × 40 ft. (15.4 × 1.5 × 12.2 m) | 1996 | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/sawsawing.htm | |||
| Torn Notebook | Stainless steel, steel, aluminum; painted with polyurethane enamel Three parts (notebook and two loose pages) Notebook: 21 ft. 10 in. × 23 ft. × 26 ft. 1 in. (6.7 × 6.4 × 8 m) Page (1): 10 ft. × 14 ft. 1 in. × 7 ft. 1 in. (3.0 × 4.3 × 2.2 m) Page (2): 11 ft. 8 in. × 8 ft. 7 in. × 8 ft. 2 in. (3.6 × 2.6 × 2.5 m) | 1996 | Madden Garden, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, U.S. | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/tornnotebook.htm | ||
| Typewriter Eraser, Scale X | Stainless steel and fiberglass 19 ft. 9 1/4 in. x 12 ft. 8 1/2 in. x 11 ft. 4 in. (6.026 x 3.874 x 3.454 m) | 1999 | https://web.archive.org/web/20140323225024/http://www.nga.gov/feature/sculpturegarden/sculpture/index.shtm | |||
| Lion's Tail | Stainless steel, aluminum, wood, fiber-reinforced plastic, expanded polystyrene, painted with urethane enamel; nylon 18 ft. 6 in. × 15 ft. × 4 ft. (5.6 × 4.6 × 1.2 m) | 1999 | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/lionstail.htm | |||
| Ago, Filo e Nodo (Needle, Thread and Knot) | Brushed stainless steel and fiber-reinforced plastic painted with polyester gelcoat and polyurethane enamel Needle and thread: 59 ft. (18 m) high × 50 3/8 in. (128 cm) diameter Knot: 19 ft. (5.8 m) long × 19 11/16 in. (50 cm) diameter | 2000 | Piazzale Cadorna, Milan, Italy 45.4681°N 9.1766°W | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/agofilonodo.htm | ||
| Flying Pins | Steel, fiber-reinforced plastic, foam, epoxy; painted with polyester gelcoat and polyurethane enamel Ten pins, each: 24 ft. 7 in. (7.5 m) high × 7 ft. 7 in. (2.3 m) widest diameter in an area approximately 123 ft. (37.5 m) long × 65 ft. 7 in. (20 m) wide Ball: 9 ft. 2 in. (2.8 m) high × 21 ft. 12 in. (6.7 m) diameter | 2000 | Intersection of John F. Kennedylaan and Fellenoord Avenues, Eindhoven, Netherlands | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/flyingpins.htm | ||
| Dropped Cone | Stainless and galvanized steels, fiber-reinforced plastic, balsawood; painted with polyester gelcoat 39 ft. 10 in. (12.1 m) high × 19 ft. (5.8 m) diameter | 2001 | Neumarkt Galerie, Cologne, Germany | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/droppedcone.htm | ||
| Cupid's Span | Stainless steel, structural carbon steel, fiber-reinforced plastic, cast epoxy, polyvinylchloride foam; painted with polyester gelcoat 60 ft. (18.3 m) high | 2002 | Rincon Park, San Francisco, U.S. | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/cupidsspan.htm | ||
| Big Sweep | Stainless steel, aluminum, fiber-reinforced plastic; painted with polyurethane enamel 31 ft. 4 in. × 25 ft. 4 in. × 15 ft. 1 in. (9.6 × 7.7 × 4.6 m) | 2006 | Denver Art Museum, Denver, U.S. | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/bigsweep.htm | ||
| Spring | Steel, cast aluminum, aluminum; painted with acrylic polyurethane 70 ft. (21.3 m) high × 18 ft. (5.5 m) diameter at base of sculpture | 2006 | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/spring.htm | |||
| Tumbling Tacks | Steel, fiberglass, resin, polyurethane foam, gelcoat and transparent satined glass coating Four tacks, each 18 ft. (5.5 m) in diameter | 2009 | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/tumblingtacks.htm | |||
| Paint Torch | Steel, fiberglass reinforced plastic, gelcoat, polyurethane, LED lighting Height from ground: 50 ft. 11 in.; Total length of work: 53 ft. 9/16 in. | 2011 | Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, U.S. | http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/painttorch.htm |