Claes Oldenburg and his Toothpaste tube

Photo — Hans Hammarskiöld

I love this photo of Claes Oldenburg carrying his giant toothpaste tube in Oxford Street.

It may not look it, but this was London during the ‘swinging 60s,’ at which time Oldenburg was one of the leading members of the Pop Art movement with his quirky soft sculptures.

It looks like someone has randomly snapped him, but the photo was taken by the photographer and fellow Swed Hans Hammarskiöld, and it was obviously done as a publicity stunt.

If this was today I guess the woman would be carrying a brown paper shopping bag from Primark.