Oldenburg and van Bruggen playfully re-examined everyday objects, creating giant clothespins and enormous shuttlecocks whose exaggerated scale evokes childlike wonder. The exhibition begins with studies for their monumental 1950s soft sculptures and concludes with their large-scale hard sculptures of the late 1990s and early 2000s. It includes an exclusive presentation of eight drawings of one of Denver’s most beloved outdoor sculptures, the monumental Big Sweep sculpture located outside the DAM.
“The drawings in this show demonstrate Oldenburg’s agility and wit with his loaded line,” curator Julie Augur says. “Whether a seemingly loose, relaxed drawing, or a tight mechanical line drawing, his creations never fail to amuse and challenge one’s perception of a space well filled.”