Today's Cleveland blog is about 2 quirky things. One is a giant sculpture and the other is a sign from our dog Franklin in spirit.
WHAT'S THE STORY OF THE "FREE STAMP" ? - IN 1985, MAJOR OIL COMPANY Standard Oil of Ohio, aka “Sohio,” opened up the 45-floor Sohio Building in downtown Cleveland. At the height of 659 feet, the mundane corporate headquarters needed some color and distinctiveness to brighten it up, and Sohio CEO Alton Whitehouse had just the plan.
Whitehouse commissioned husband and wife sculptors Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen to design the world’s largest rubber stamp. The pair worked together for weeks to create a giant, 49-foot red stamp with the word “free” printed on the bottom.
The word “free” was chosen because the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument of Cleveland was located directly across the street from the Sohio Building, which honors soldiers from the Civil War and freedom from slavery.
WHO CREATED THE FREE STAMP SCULPTURE - Claes Oldenburg, the world-famous pop artist known in Cleveland for creating the beloved and controversial “Free Stamp” sculpture at Willard Park The aluminum and steel structure is 49 feet long, 28 feet high and weighs 70,000 pounds.
WHERE IS IT? - Willard Park is a public park in downtown Cleveland, in the U.S. state of Ohio. The park sits at the northwest corner of East 9th Street and Lakeside Avenue, adjacent to Cleveland City Hall, and is within the boundaries of the Cleveland Mall historic district.
NEXT: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
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