Inverted Collar and Tie

The sculpture features an inverted dress shirt collar with a necktie whose ends reach upward and outward. It towers roughly 12 meters high and was constructed from steel, polymer concrete, and reinforced plastics.

Created in California in 1993, the sculpture was installed in Frankfurt the following year. It was commissioned by a major financial institution for their central office complex.

The piece jokes with business dress codes and pokes fun at corporate formality through its reversed image. Standing in the financial heart, it invites viewers to reconsider what formal attire represents.

The sculpture sits at the corner of Westendstrasse and Mainzer Landstrasse in the Westend district. It is visible from street level and freely accessible, making it easy to view while passing through the area.

The construction employs unusual materials like polymer concrete and fiberglass, materials rarely seen in monumental public art. This combination allows the work to appear weightless despite its substantial size.

Location: Frankfurt

Inception: 1994

Creator: Claes Oldenburg, Coosje van Bruggen

Made from material: steel, polymer concrete, fibre-reinforced plastic, gelcoat, polyester

GPS coordinates: 50.11055,8.66274

Latest update: December 13, 2025 12:24