The Seal

Located in Ohio Willard Park, Cleveland, the USA.

Steel, aluminum, polyurethane enamel.

The famous sculpture is located on a lawn in central Cleveland. Like almost all sculptures by Claes Oldenburg, it is a precise copy of a real object – a clerical seal, enlarged many times and therefore clearly visible from afar. The visual effect is enhanced by the bright red colour of the sculpture. The artist created this work of art together with his wife Coosje van Bruggen, who was the co-author of most of his works – her name appears on each of the sculptures they made together. The inscription “Free” on one of the sides is translated from English as “for nothing” or “without restraint”, so this large print may have several meanings.