The Giant “Free” Stamp in Cleveland
Location: Cleveland, Ohio (Willard Park, E. 9th St. & Lakeside Ave.)
When to visit: Anytime during daylight hours
Cost: Free
Time needed to enjoy: 5-10 minutes
Website: www.oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/freestamp.htm (unofficial)
You’ve probably seen Cleveland’s giant “FREE” stamp in pictures. Though some call the 29 ft. x 26 ft. x 49 ft. sculpture the world’s biggest rubber stamp, it’s actually made of aluminum and steel and painted with polyurethane enamel.
The stamp sits near City Hall, perhaps mocking government officials with its subtle political statement. But the artwork, created in the early ’80s by sculptors Claes Oldenburg and Coosje Van Bruggen, has a much longer backstory that has nothing to with politics.
The stamp was commissioned in 1982 by Standard Oil of Ohio, which intended to install it in front of its own building and across from the Civil War Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument. Initially, the stamp would have stood upright, meaning that no one would see the word on the bottom.
The sculptors had to choose a short word, so they selected “FREE,” which had many connotations, including the concept of liberty and the freedom of slaves after the Civil War. When BP purchased Sohio, the BP execs thought the word “FREE” was a sarcastic slam on their company and corporate culture, so they nixed the project, calling it “inappropriate.” (A bunch of suits failing to understand an artist’s intentions… we’ve never heard that story before, have we?) The stamp was sent into storage.
Eventually, the company realized it made no sense to keep paying to store this thing, so new discussions opened about whether it could be relocated. The sculptors agreed to place it in Willard Park and to rest it on its side, as if it was flung across town into the park.
On November 15, 1991, the stamp made its public premiere. You can see the stamp for free in Willard Park in downtown Cleveland, not far from Lake Erie, Cleveland Browns Stadium, and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The stamp rests near the Cleveland Fire Fighters Memorial.
What do you think about the giant red stamp in Cleveland?
So cool! What I love about you is that you give us information on things that we otherwise would never know about unless we stumbled on them. thanks!!!!
I was surprised to learn about the history of the stamp so I had to share it
This is a great story. I have seen pics of a Stamp before, but didn’t know its history. Thanks for sharing. Will definitely visit it when in Cleveland.
memographer recently posted..A Walk in Christmasy New York
If you go to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, you’ll pass the stamp on your way
Never heard about it before – interesting story. I like how one piece of art can have many interpretations.
Ayelet – All Colores recently posted..Meet a Local: Sabina, a Middle East Solo Female Traveler from Connecticut, USA
A giant stamp in a downtown park really makes no sense, which is one reason I love it.
I’d never heard of the free stamp. Thanks for this post.
InsideJourneys recently posted..The Jamaica Visitors Rarely See, II
Thanks for checking out the post.
Scott: I have been to the Big Stamp in Cleveland. I also visited the Shuttlecocks in Kansas City. Really Cool!! I hope to visit some of the other works by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje Van Bruggen on future trips.
Sumoflam recently posted..I’ve Been Everywhere – Part I: The Collector
Ah, I wasn’t aware of the shuttlecocks, but I’m hoping to go to Kansas City in March so I will put those on my list for sure.
Scott: Check out this page I did on my drive from Lexington to St. Louis and Kansas City, including a drive through Santa Claus, IN.
http://www.sumoflam.biz/KCStLTrip.htm
The shuttlecocks are there as well as some other interesting sites.
When in KC you MUST go to Oklahoma Joe’s for BBQ!! It is on the Kansas side.
Sumoflam recently posted..I’ve Been Everywhere – Part II: Signs, Signs, Everywhere a Sign
I’ll keep that in mind! I could go for some good BBQ.