Scissors as Monument, from the National Collection of Fine Arts portfolio

Famous for his monumental sculptures of ordinary objects, Oldenburg also produced works on paper that, like his sculptures, present ideas of function, scale, and material. By manipulating and transforming familiar objects, the artist questions and challenges one's perceptions and assumptions of the visual world. In this study for a proposed monument, Oldenburg offers a visual paradox in the form of an oversized pair of scissors that attempts to pique viewers' curiosity, intellect, and sense of humor.