Claes Oldenburg
Swedish-born American, 1929-2022
Proposed Monument for Mill Rock, East River, NYC: Slice of Strawberry Cheesecake, 1992
8-color soft-ground etching aquatint
_{© 1992 Claes Oldenburg}

Appearing to float on the river, a delectable slice of strawberry cheesecake is rendered with playful color and line. Claes Oldenburg radically expanded the definition of sculpture with large-scale public installations that recreate everyday objects or food.

This enticing image is a proposal for a monumental sculpture located on Mill Rock, an island in New York City’s East River. A small boat chugs alongside, providing a sense of scale. Although the sculpture was never realized, this etching allows us to consider Oldenburg’s ability to transform commonplace objects into whimsical monuments.