He was careful, however, to choose objects with close human associations, such as bathtubs, typewriters, light switches, and electric fans. Like other artists of the Pop-art movement, he chose as his subjects the banal products of consumer life. These interests led to the work for which Oldenburg is best known: soft sculptures. In 1962 he exhibited a version of his store in which there were huge canvas-covered, foam-rubber sculptures of an ice-cream cone, a hamburger, and a slice of cake. For some of his happenings Oldenburg created giant objects made of cloth stuffed with paper or rags.

In 1962 he began creating a series of “ happenings”-i.e., experimental presentations involving sound, movement, objects, and people. Renting an actual store, he stocked it with his constructions. In 1960–61 he created The Store, a collection of painted plaster copies of food, clothing, jewelry, and other items. An awareness of the sculptural possibilities of these objects led to a shift in interest from painting to sculpture. In 1956 Oldenburg moved to New York City, where he became fascinated with the elements of street life: store windows, graffiti, advertisements, and trash.

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Soft bathtub claes oldenburg