Raw Notes

by Claes Oldenburg

Claes Oldenburg, the artist who set new terms for sculpture in the 1960s, is best known for his soft sculptures and his giant monuments of ordinary objects. Because they have been less well documented, Oldenburg's performances have not been fully integrated into the critical discourse surrounding his work. In Raw Notes, Oldenburg has scrupulously collected all of the material relating to his performances. According to his specifications, the text in the book is typed rather then set and appears on only one side of the page. Examples of the original manuscript are reproduced in sixty-three script plates, including stage plans, scores, sketches for programs, and posters. More than two hundred annotations by the author expand the text. Raw Notes will be indispensable as a document of these important aspects of Oldenburg's work.

Genres: Art

554 pages, Paperback

First published June 15, 2005

Reviews

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty amazing book. I'd put it in the uniquely useful section of my library.
I bought this book at an art fair in New York. I was writing a paper on the "Happenings: New York, 1958–1963," on view at the Pace gallery at the time. Although this book is slightly after that time period I was studying, it really helped focus my attention to the details. To the handwriting, to the thought process, to the actions and inactions of the artist.The changes and notes, the margins, and errors. It's not a book as much as it is a running list of thoughts. A great way for me, as a reader, to see inside the artist thought process. I'd recommend it to any fan.