Clothespin Sculpture — Attraction in Philadelphia

Out of a subway entrance in Center City, between the two office towers of Centre Square, rises a gigantic clothespin. Facing City Hall tower with its venerable sculpture of William Penn, Clothespin has the jolting and humorous effect of a familiar object seen out of context. This witty monument was commissioned by developer Jack Wolgin as part of the Redevelopment Authority’s 1% program.

Oldenburg has been noted for his attempts to democratize art, and Clothespin certainly draws a reaction from everyone who passes it. After the installation in 1976, cab drivers, pedestrians, art enthusiasts, and local office workers admired it or joked about it, and it soon became a Philadelphia landmark. But the sculpture's resemblance to a daily object should not obscure its artistic qualities. It is not, in fact, a reproduction of an ordinary clothespin, but a sweeping, stylized version. Art critics have written of its "soaring" look and the "velvety" texture of the Corten steel, which turns a warm reddish-brown as it weathers. The sculpture invites many interpretations, and Oldenburg himself compared the form to Constantin Brancusi’s famous sculpture The Kiss in the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Like Brancusi’s work, Clothespin presents two separate forms merging in an embrace.

Adapted from Public Art in Philadelphia by Penny Balkin Bach (Temple University Press,...

The Clothespin Sculpture, a prominent public artwork in Philadelphia, is an iconic and thought-provoking piece that captures the attention of passersby. Situated in the heart of the city, this towering stainless steel sculpture, created by artist Claes Oldenburg, elicits a sense of wonder and curiosity. Its striking design, featuring a colossal clothespin with a spring-like handle, sparks conversations and invites interpretation.

The sculpture's monumental yet familiar form contrasts the ordinary with the extraordinary, challenging perceptions and adding a touch of whimsy to the urban landscape. Its reflective surface interacts dynamically with changing light, offering a different perspective to each viewer, making it a mesmerizing sight both day and night.

The Clothespin Sculpture, a testament to Oldenburg's knack for transforming everyday objects into art, serves as a meeting point, a landmark, and an artistic centerpiece, drawing locals and tourists alike to ponder its symbolism and appreciate the fusion of creativity and...

Encargado por el desarrollador Jack Wolgin como parte del programa de 1% de la Autoridad de Redesarrollo es parte del museo de puertas abiertas de Filadelfia. Después de que se instaló, los taxistas, peatones, entusiastas del arte y oficinistas locales lo admiraban o bromeaban sobre él, y pronto se convirtió en un hito de Filadelfia. El artista Claes Oldenburg se ha destacado por sus intentos de democratizar el arte. En la entrada del metro en Center City, entre las dos torres de oficinas de Center Square, se levanta una pinza gigante. Frente a la torre del Ayuntamiento con su venerable escultura de William Penn, Clothespin tiene el efecto jocoso de un objeto familiar que se ve fuera de contexto. Este ingenioso monumento fue encargado por el desarrollador Jack Wolgin como parte delprograma Percent for Art del Redevelopment Authority . La escultura invita a muchas interpretaciones, y el propio Oldenburg comparó la forma con la famosa escultura de Constantin Brancusi " The Kiss" en el Museo de Arte de Filadelfia. Oldenburg se ha destacado por sus intentos de democratizar el arte, y Clothespinciertamente provoca una reacción de todos los que lo pasan. Después de la instalación en 1976, los taxistas, peatones, entusiastas del arte y oficinistas locales lo admiraban o bromeaban sobre él, y pronto se convirtió en un hito en Filadelfia. Pero la semejanza de la escultura con un objeto cotidiano no debe oscurecer sus cualidades artísticas. No es, de hecho, una reproducción de una pinza de ropa ordinaria, sino una versión arrolladora y estilizada. Los críticos de arte han escrito sobre su aspecto "elevado" y la textura "aterciopelada" del acero Cor-Ten, que se torna de un color marrón rojizo cálido a medida que avanza. La escultura invita a muchas interpretaciones, y el propio Oldenburg comparó la forma con la famosa escultura de Constantin Brancusi, The Kiss.en el Museo de Arte...