art inspired: claes oldenburg, lipstick on catepillar tracks
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Since this is beauty week at Trust Your Style, it seemed fitting that Claes Oldenburg's 24 foot tall sculpture would be today's art inspired pick. Lipstick has often been compared to war paint, and is it coincidence that this over-sized lipstick is mounted on tank treads?
Claes Oldenberg, the son of a Swedish diplomat, grew up in Chicago. After he finished Yale University, he took classes at the Art Institute of Chicago before moving to New York City in 1956. Oldenberg met a group of artists, that included Jim Dine, Red Grooms and Allan Kaprow and became part of their theatrical Happenings, an alternative to the prevailing abstract expressionism. Eliciting public ridicule before being embraced in the 1960s as whimsical, insightful and fun, Oldenberg's large scale sculptures of mundane objects became associated with the Pop Art movement. One of Oldenberg's early sculptures was a soft sculpture of a tube of lipstick which would deflate unless a participant re-pumped air into it. In 1974, this sculpture, Lipstick (Ascending) on Caterpillar Tracks, was redesigned in a sturdier aluminum form, the giant lipstick being placed vertically atop tank treads where it resides permanently in the Morse College courtyard.
Oscar de la Renta blouse $1685; TIBI black blazer $505; Donna Karan stretch jersey pencil skirt $795; Alexander McQueen peep toe pumps, $895; Oscar de la Renta multi chain necklace, $1,150; Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture Pure Color Lipstick SPF 15, $30; Valentino Rock Stud Flap Bag in Red, $1,595
Will you be wearing lipstick red come this Valentine's Day?
Claes Oldenberg, the son of a Swedish diplomat, grew up in Chicago. After he finished Yale University, he took classes at the Art Institute of Chicago before moving to New York City in 1956. Oldenberg met a group of artists, that included Jim Dine, Red Grooms and Allan Kaprow and became part of their theatrical Happenings, an alternative to the prevailing abstract expressionism. Eliciting public ridicule before being embraced in the 1960s as whimsical, insightful and fun, Oldenberg's large scale sculptures of mundane objects became associated with the Pop Art movement. One of Oldenberg's early sculptures was a soft sculpture of a tube of lipstick which would deflate unless a participant re-pumped air into it. In 1974, this sculpture, Lipstick (Ascending) on Caterpillar Tracks, was redesigned in a sturdier aluminum form, the giant lipstick being placed vertically atop tank treads where it resides permanently in the Morse College courtyard.
Oscar de la Renta blouse $1685; TIBI black blazer $505; Donna Karan stretch jersey pencil skirt $795; Alexander McQueen peep toe pumps, $895; Oscar de la Renta multi chain necklace, $1,150; Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture Pure Color Lipstick SPF 15, $30; Valentino Rock Stud Flap Bag in Red, $1,595
Will you be wearing lipstick red come this Valentine's Day?
Labels: art inspired fashion post, Claes Oldenburg
posted by Mary Jo at TrustYourStyle at
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
I'm Mary Jo, a handbag designer living in sunny California. TrustYourStyle is where I share inspiration and connect with other style lovers. Did I mention I celebrate 
40 Comments:
i like the art inspiration! i think for valentines day i'll be wearing red lips for sure
xo
MosaMuse
MosaMuse.blogspot.com
Ohmigosh Mary Jo that Valentino bag - I need, I need! LOVE this set - the red hues are exquisite! :)
I love your inspiration's pics!!!! Thanks for visiting my new blog and for your lovely comment!!! I'm following you now!!! Follow me back?? Let me know, you'll make me happy! kiss dear :D
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I like the dichotomy that the giant lipstick on the tank treads presents. And red lipstick always makes a statement. I can't pull it off but I do love the look.
Marvelous!! I want to go and see this lipstick now :) I love this look...I've been wanting more red in my wardrobe lately and this gives ideas..definitely have a top like that, so now all I need is my red skirt and I am ready ;D Gorgeous!! Red is so stunning!! Hope you are having a great day doll xo
I like this outfit so much! This is such a cool post!
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Love Claes and this look, especially the skirt!
xoxox,
CC
oh i love this inspired post, so awesome! i studied him in college - and wow, that structure is amazing!!
xx, k
Love the inspiration! I wore pink last year, maybe red is in order.
Puff pant, Mary Jo, I'm coming to LA! Sorting out dates now, hub's said Monday but that stresses me out so probably the last week in Feb, I really really hope we can meet up!
First I have to tell you that I love your picture on your profile. Then I do like the black blazer and the red lipstick.
That lipstick sculpture is truly amazing. HaHa Love that Donna Karan skirt and Oscar de la Renta top. So gorgeous! :D
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Oo i adore the red skirt! xox
what an amazing sculpture! ANd those studded Valentino's are TDF!
Love the sculpture--- both witty and smart.
And the look? Perfect interpretation!
Lovely blog.
http://xtheperfectmess.blogspot.com
Great source of inspiration and realization! That YSL red lipstick is gorgeous. xo style, she wrote
I always learn something new from your blog, thank you for the history lesson! Hmmmm I'm not sure if I'll be wearing red lipstick on v-day....
what a cool structure. i've never heard of this! i'm always learning something new over here :) i love red lipstick and what better than wearing it on valentines! :)
Mary Jo such an informative post love it when you learn something new about art.......red lipstick well it has been a long time since I have worn this shade but I love it sooo glamorous with the right styling and outfit ala Dita Von Teese now she looks as if she was born with it on!
So as I am not looking so Ditaish this morning maybe I will just keep my eye on Oldenberg's statue for now haha!
Carla x
This inspired post is so interesting.
That YSL red lipstick is so perfect. What a great color !
Nice post as always Mary Jo.
xo
omg! want that ysl lipstick
Another art lesson I am happy to learn, Mary Jo. The red skirt is gorgeous! I can imagine a totally glamorous look around it.
Ada
I would wear this outfit, completely sexy! That necklace is amazing the scale is perfect with the lace.
Xx
Callie
Que lindo.
adorei...
beijos
Darling, I would wear this outfit right now:)That skirt looks super snazzy:) Love. xo
What a hot outfit for Vday!! Love the inspiration too!
From Brooklyn with love,
Jen
These art inspired posts are always so much fun and informative. Maybe stupid but I never thought of red lipstick that way. Speaking of it, I get in the mood to wearing mines! It has been a long while. Don't think it'll be on valentines though.
Of course I'll be wearing red lipstick for Valentines!!! But then again, I always wear red lipstick... ;) xo
How fabulous is this!?! I had never heard of it before. Thanks for enlightening me, Mary Jo! And the outfit is drop dead gorgeous. I would wear it all in a hearbeat :) xoxo
Love the Lipstick.. I wear lipstick rarely now??
It's funny I use to be a high heal lipstick wearing girl, I have changed a lot in 8 years and now feel much more authentic with out all of those items... I think I used it to feel good about the parts of me that felt bad, even though I had no idea at the time I felt bad about myself, with that said I still love fashion it just fits who I am better now...
Great Post...
xo
m
I love this art piece. Such beautiful inspiration. Thanks!
*I'm very much into reds for the lips. :)
I love your art inspired collections! This one is a lot of fun, but doesn't it need some military looking pieces in the mix? Perhaps I'm being too literal.
I think I like everyone of these pieces!! So pretty!
What a stunning and interesting piece! I was immediately drawn to the YSL lipstick down below - is it wrong to want lipstick because of the beautiful packaging?
xoxo,
Chic 'n Cheap Living
P.S. Thanks for putting my pic on your tumbl ~ love all those photos!
xoxox,
CC
red and black is such a classic color combo, though i have to admit i have a tough time with it sometimes. thanks for the inspiration!!!
http://spinning-threads.blogspot.com
What a great post! L O V E
http://msstylejunkie.com
This statue is great! Anyone who makes a statue of a giant lipstick is fab in my books, lol! Your outfit you styled is great too. I am loving the necklace and the blazer =) Thanks for sharing!
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