68 Henry Oldenburg to Wallis c.14/[24] February 1672/3

PARIS CIRCUS NEW YORK JUNK: JEAN DUBUFFET AND CLAES OLDENBURG, 1959–1962

“…A note in the margins of the drawing reveals Oldenburg's intentional play with the letters, even though the reference to Jarry was not further developed. 21 Referring to Homage to Dubuffet and Céline, Oldenburg later declared 'the two were associated in my mind, that's why I set out to make the homage to both of them.' 22 This candid explanation, whilst avoiding the controversial issue of the relation between Dubuffet and Céline, brought together two figures whose work in painting and writing evoked the idea of what Clement Greenberg had once described as lumpen art in relation to Dubuffet.…”

“…21 Referring to Homage to Dubuffet and Céline, Oldenburg later declared 'the two were associated in my mind, that's why I set out to make the homage to both of them.' 22 This candid explanation, whilst avoiding the controversial issue of the relation between Dubuffet and Céline, brought together two figures whose work in painting and writing evoked the idea of what Clement Greenberg had once described as lumpen art in relation to Dubuffet. For Oldenburg, Céline was linked to Saul Bellow, whose novel The Adventures of Augie March (1953), which he read in 1959, was set in Chicago.…”

“…23 constructed The Street, Oldenburg associated the 'direct experience that he [Céline] recorded in that first novel which was very gripping', with his own 'direct experience' of the New York street and the materials that could be found there. 24 In these works, all dating from around 1959 and 1960, references to Dubuffet thus coexist alongside allusions to other artists and writers. Working in a manner of free association, Oldenburg links one figure to another, creating a spectrum of references.…”

“…I would just improvise on that, which is probably the way Dubuffet worked himself too from the beginnings.' 27 Oldenburg's way of creating a network of references, appropriating the imaginary working methods of others and applying them in turn to his own projects, suggested playing with multiple identities and resorting to imitation in order to produce originality. Aside from verbal or written statements, Oldenburg also enacted role-playing in his work, through creating alter egos that enabled him to work in different styles.…”

A ‘College’ for the Royal Society: The abortive plan of 1667 — 1668

“…The subscription forms had evidently been printed by 4 February, when O ldenburg enclosed one in a letter to Boyle, adding: 'If I had thought, there were any others at O xford, that w ould cast in their benevolence, I would have sent more Copies. W e hope, we shall very shortly lay our foundation' and thus the sooner subscriptions arrived, the better (43). O ldenburg also wrote to correspondents such as Paul Rycaut, the English consul in Smyrna and an absentee Fellow, explaining about the project and the Society's hopes to begin it in the spring and 'to finish in a short time, if they be further seconded by cheerfull C ontributions'.…”