The Man Behind The Button

Claes Oldenburg is an 82-year-old Swedish sculptor best known for featuring everyday objects in his work. If you know nothing about contemporary art and his name still sounds familiar, then you've eavesdropped on one too many visitors' tours. Oldenburg is indeed the man who created our beloved Button!

Philly Mag interviewed the ol' chap and he was just the cutest! Especially since he apparently knew nothing at all about the grand legacy surrounding his Split Button here at Penn. Here's the adorable quote:

Do you know there’s a tradition at Penn involving your Split Button sculpture? I know it’s in many of their photographs—pictures of the band standing on it, kids sticking their heads out of the holes.

They try to have sex under it. Is that right?