When everyday objects lose their shape
A huge ice-cream cone, a sagging light switch made of fabric and an oversized pistol: in the works of Claes Oldenburg (1929, Stockholm – 2022, New York), the world is as strange as in ‘Alice in Wonderland’. In an era of climate change and political upheaval, Pop Art pioneer Oldenburg is as topical as ever and prompts us to rethink consumption, value and our relationship with everyday objects. There is good reason to stage this exhibition in the Dada city of Zurich. Dada, born out of sharp protest against the horrific absurdities of World War I, is characterized by a radical rejection of logic, reason and traditional values. Oldenburg revives those ideas and connects them to the everyday and consumer culture of his time. With his sharp wit and absurd contrasts, he still challenges traditional artistic taste.
This first posthumous retrospective in Europe is a collaboration with the Moderna Museet, Stockholm.
Supported by UBS, Partner Kunsthaus Zürich
