One of the great treasures of Kansas City is the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art.  In addition to some amazing exhibits (including one panel of Monet’s Water Lilies triptych), the Nelson boasts beautiful grounds and outdoor sculptures. For Kansas City natives, the Shuttlecock sculptures are iconic.

 

From the website:

The four, 18 feet tall shuttlecock sculptures by Claus Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen scattered across the Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park in Kansas City, MO, have become a cultural icon for both Kansas City and the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Installed in 1994, “Shuttlecocks” became an instant controversy. While some people thought the sculptures detracted from the museum, others believed “Shuttlecocks” expanded the very definition of art, and brought new excitement and edge to the museum.

Oldenburg and van Bruggen’s choice in using the shuttlecock design is intended to be playful. It makes the original Nelson building a net in an enormous game of badminton. Nearly 20 years after their installation, “Shuttlecocks” is widely loved in Kansas City, and their images are used in many Kansas City and Nelson-Atkins Museum marketing promotions.

 

So you can imagine how tickled I was when I found their newest souvenir mug:

I forsee one of these babies coming to live with me!