Plantoir Red
Claes Oldenburg
Insights into the production processes at Arnold AG
From the workbench to the spotlight
For the Plantoir Red #2 and Plantoir Red #3 sculptures, Arnold AG was responsible for the technical implementation, structural design and surface finishing. The approximately five-meter-high works of art were designed and manufactured in close coordination with the artistic concept.
The shovel head consists of shaped corrugated sheet metal and rounded aluminum sheets, supported by a substructure of aluminum frames and stainless steel tubes. The shaft is made of milled aluminum and the handle is made of fiberglass-reinforced plastic. The sculptures are made up of several metal components that were welded, sanded and painted in several stages. The focus was on high dimensional accuracy, uniform surface quality and durable weather protection.
The two sculptures were installed in two different locations:
- Plantoir Red #2 on a private property in Aspen, Colorado
- Plantoir Red #3 in the atrium of the Lever House in New York City
Plantoir Red #2 on a private property in Aspen, Colorado (USA)
Plantoir Red #3 at the factory acceptance test of Arnold AG in Steinbach-Hallenberg
Plantoir Red #3 in the atrium of the Lever House in New York City
Big Apple gets Big Shovel - art that goes deeper!
Claes Oldenburg (1929-2022) is one of the most influential personalities of Pop Art. With his large-format sculptures of everyday objects, he created works that transferred familiar forms into new contexts. The Plantoir series takes the silhouette of a garden shovel and transforms it into a symbolic object through oversizing and bold colors - a combination of nature, body and industrial aesthetics.
The Plantoir Red Mid-Scale Edition consists of several versions with only slight differences in height. Common features are the striking red finish and the characteristic slant of the sculpture, which lends the solid form a surprising lightness and movement.
We are proud to have been involved in the realization of these works - and look forward to further exciting projects.
Plantoir Red #3 in the atrium of the Lever House in New York City
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