In celebration of Claes Oldenburg’s dual exhibitions currently at MOMA in NY, I’ve decided to highlight one
of his most beloved works here in Des Moines.
Maybe you've driven by it on your way through downtown, perhaps you walk by it every day on your way to work, but have you ever stopped to ponder what that thing is?
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Claes Oldenburg, Crusoe Umbrella, Cor-Ten steel painted with polyurethane enamel, 37 x 37 x 58 ft. , 1979
Nollen Plaza, across from the Des Moines Civic Center |
The idea for Crusoe Umbrella came after a visit to the Netherlands where Oldenburg discussed Crusoe’s umbrella with his father in law. The work is an oversized replica of the handmade umbrella from Daniel Defoe’s historic novel: Robison Crusoe in which the main character, Crusoe, makes by hand an umbrella while castaway on an island. The umbrella became one of the few items he took with him off the island once he was rescued.
The work was commissioned by the Des Moines Civic Center in 1978 and was installed Thanksgiving week of 1979. In regards to the placement and site specific work Oldenburg said the following:
“We wanted to place an exotic element in the midst of prosaic circumstances and turn the center of the continent paradoxically into an island in the sea.”
Keeping Oldenburg’s inspiration in mind, viewers can see just how precisely he has executed his plan. Crusoe’s umbrella has been carried through the wind from far away seas and fallen in Nollen plaza. It’s rough and rugged angles combined with its enormous size, emphasize the significance of the simple every day object. One should also notice that the Traveler's umbrella which lights up the Insurance Exchange building at 5th and Grand speaks to Oldenburg's umbrella in a way that allows the object to give Des Moines a downtown symbol. Going along with Oldenburg’s theme of monumentalizing the ever day object, he has glorified the umbrella like no other artist could for Des Moines.
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| View of the Insurance Exchange Building in Downtown Des Moines |
