“I am an immigrant in a sense. What happened was that my father was stationed in New York when my mother became pregnant, and she said, "I've got to go to Sweden so this child can be born there, because you don't have any idea where you're going to be transferred next."” ChildrenSaidIdeasMotherNextFatherBornHappenedNew YorkImmigrantsPregnantSweden Author:Claes Oldenburg
“I knew I had to take my ambition more seriously, so I enrolled at the Art Institute of Chicago. Then, in the fall, I went on a tour of my own. I didn't go to New York because that was too well known for its art scene.” WellsArtFallMy OwnKnownNew YorkSceneAmbitionChicagoWell KnownInstituteMy Ambition Author:Claes Oldenburg
“I just started to do my own thing for about a year and a half, and I worked in the evening selling phonograph records. Then I said to myself, "I'm afraid I have to go to New York after all."” YearsSaidMy OwnHalfRecordsNew YorkSellingEveningPhonograph Author:Claes Oldenburg
“I was very happy to be living in New York at that time, more than in the present time. Now it's all commerce.” New YorkCommerceVery HappyPresent Time Author:Claes Oldenburg
“Actually, New York is great for playing around. I made a lot of studies for New York-a big vacuum cleaner lying on the Battery in Manhattan.” MadeBigsLyingStudyNew YorkVacuumsManhattanCleanersBatteriesPlaying Around Author:Claes Oldenburg
