Plantoir Blue: Rockefeller Center

Plantoir, Blue – is one of the many collaborations between Claes Oldenburg and his late wife, Coosje van Bruggen. It embodies the hallmarks of the couple’s work – enlarged everyday objects infused with a hint of whimsy and pop of color.

Oldenburg and van Bruggen’s creative partnership, which began in the 1970s, has produced a famous body of work. Public spaces all over the world have been transformed by colossal renderings of the unexpected. Whether it be a jumbled matchbook the size of a house in Spain, an upside-down ice cream cone on the roof of a shopping mall in Germany, or a giant safety pin in California, the renowned duo’s sculpture is famed for its playful and compelling presence. Their exploration of the boundaries of public art is epitomized in Plantoir, Blue, a piece that shows their evolution as a collaborative team.