Plug 1970

Claes Oldenburg made this giant plug, probably from metal, and plonked it right here, outside. I love how he takes the mundane and makes it monumental. It's all about the process of seeing, isn’t it? He makes us re-evaluate the everyday. The rusty color of the plug contrasts nicely with the shiny gold prongs. It reminds me of the contrast you see in some of Jeff Koons' sculptures, though Oldenburg's work has a kind of humor that's all its own. Look at how the mass of the plug sits in the landscape. It almost looks discarded, like a toy a giant child has left behind. And that’s the trick, isn’t it? It’s like he's saying, "Hey, let's not take things so seriously. Let's find the fun in the functional."