Meats

Claes Oldenburg (in 1964)

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Sana asked

Does the work reflect or comment upon aspects of cultural identity including race, class, gender, religion/belief and place?
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen answered

Dear Sana,

This presentation of meat emerged from the ‘happenings’ that Claes Oldenburg organized in the 1960’s. These happenings are improvised and unpredictable performances by means of which Oldenburg wanted to narrow the gap between art and life. In The Store, a fake shop, he presented painted plaster copies of among other things food and clothing. By later putting these copies in real shops he tried to narrow this gap. Oldenburg is particularly commenting on the relationship between art and life. Do you think he is also commenting upon aspects of cultural identity?

Kind regards,
Nina

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This presentation of meat emerged from the 'happenings' (often unpredictable performances or events) that Oldenburg organised in his studio around 1960, such as 'The Store'. In this fake shop, Oldenburg put out painted plaster copies of food, clothing and other products for sale. He later presented his products in real shops in order to narrow the gap between art and life.

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Specifications

Title	Meats
Material and technique	Painted plaster, marble, earthenware, wood with Formica laminate
Object type	Installation > Three-dimensional object > Art object
Location	This object is in storage

Dimensions	Width 96 cm Height 57 cm Depth 96 cm
Artists	Artist: Claes Oldenburg
Accession number	BEK 1749 1-16 (MK)
Credits	Purchased with the support Stichting Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Mondriaan Fund, Rembrandt Association (made possible thanks to the contribution of its Dura Kunstfonds), Cultuurfonds, municipality of Rotterdam and VSBfonds, 2006
Department	Modern Art
Acquisition date	2006
Creation date	in 1964
Internal exhibitions	Alles kids (2016)
External exhibitions	(H)erkennen Herbouwen. Wonderkamers van het Rotterdams koloniale verleden. (2023)
Research	Show research Digitising Contemporary Art
Material	Formica laminate > Artificial synthetic > Synthetic > Material > Material and technique Earthenware > Ceramics > Inorganic material > Material > Material and technique Wood > Vegetable material > Organic material > Material > Material and technique Plaster > Mineral > Minerals and stones > Inorganic material > Material > Material and technique Marble > Metamorphic stone > Stone > Minerals and stones > Inorganic material > Material > Material and technique
Object	Installation > Three-dimensional object > Art object
Technique	Painting > Painted > Painting technique > Technique > Material and technique Painting > Painted > Painting technique > Technique > Material and technique
Geographical origin	The United States of America > North America > America
Geographical origin	Sweden > Scandanavia > Northern Europe > Europe

Show research Digitising Contemporary Art

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All about the artist

Claes Oldenburg

Stockholm 1929 - New York 2022

Claes Oldenburg is of Swedish origin and studied art and literature at Yale University and subsequently, from 1950 to 1954, at the School of the Art Institute...

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