Claes Oldenburg’s This & That

In this new series of films produced on the occasion of This & That—an exhibition of Claes Oldenburg's work on view at our Tokyo gallery through August 23, 2025—the artist's daughter Maartje Oldenburg discusses the themes and subjects that inspired her father’s lively sculptures. Here, she discusses the artist’s ability to use everyday materials to realize intricate musical instruments as animated sculptural entities. “Depicted in transition, the instruments imply sound while signifying through silence renewal in death,” she says. Stay tuned for one more installment from this film series, coming to our digital channels this summer.