"The Free Stamp is an outdoor sculpture located in Willard Park. Created by Claes Oldenburg and his wife Coosje van Bruggen, it has been called the "world's largest rubber stamp". The dimensions of the sculpture are 28 ft 10 in (8.79 m) by 26 ft (7.9 m) by 49 ft (15 m). The sculpture depicts a rubber stamp with the word "FREE" in its stamping area.

The work was commissioned by The Standard Oil Company (Ohio) in 1982 for display at its soon-to-be-constructed headquarters building on Public Square, which became the BP America Tower. The piece was originally designed to stand upright, with the lettering of the stamp hidden from view on its "stamp pad". According to one of the executives working with Oldenburg, the message on the stamp was intended as a reference to the Civil War-era Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, located across the street. In an interview with WKYC-TV at the sculpture's 1991 dedication, Oldenburg said the stamp's message, "Free," referred to the emancipation of American slaves during and after the Civil War.

In 1991, BP donated the sculpture to the city of Cleveland. The stamp was modified to sit on its side, and it was dedicated in its new location on November 15, 1991. At the dedication, Oldenburg told a WKYC-TV producer that it looked as if a giant hand had picked up the sculpture from its intended location at the BP Tower and angrily hurled it several blocks, where it ended up on its side." (Wikipedia)

"Nicholas T. Giorganni, project director for construction of the SOHIO (later BP) building, worked directly with Claes Oldenburg regarding the Free Stamp, and provides this account: "The Free Stamp was not relocated because of high storage costs at the Chicago Bridge and Iron plant in Illinois, but rather because it took that long to locate a site agreeable to the sculptor. Even then, he redesigned the sculpture from its upright position to lying on its side. To quote the sculptor, it was as if a giant hand picked up the free stamp and hurled it several blocks to its current location at Willard Park," the Roadside America says.

"The rationale behind the word 'free' relates to its original proposed position in front of the BP Building, just across from the Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Monument, which, upright, it roughly resembled in shape. The word free has several meanings but the main one in this case, was designed to parallel the freedom of slaves but also -- because the stamp pressed down on the word free -- that many today still are not free."

"Inaugurated on November 15, 1991, the bright red FREE stamp in Cleveland stands at a whopping 28-feet tall and 48-feet long and is FREE for all to see," the Silly America reports.

"The world’s largest rubber stamp was designed by famed pop artist Claes Oldenburg, who has created large-scale renditions of everyday objects all around the world.

"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 Atlas Obscura reports..

"The giant stamp was held in a warehouse in Indiana for the next six years until 1991, when the stamp was finally released to the public. The heavy object was hauled into Cleveland’s Willard Park, just a few blocks away from its original proposed location. To this day, the “Free Stamp” in Cleveland has held onto the title of “World’s Largest Stamp” and has won the approval of the city’s park-goers."

"The process of creating the Free Stamp,, from its conception to its arrival at its present location in Willard Park adjacent to Cleveland's City Hall, covers nearly ten years. In 1982 Standard Oil Company of Ohio (SOHIO) commissioned us to create a work in front of its new headquarters, a skyscraper built out of pink stone on Public Square in the city center. The base on which the sculpture was to be situated was an area made of concrete that reminded us of a stamp pad. Associations followed and soon we had our subject: a colossal rubber stamp, an object then still common in the office culture of the surroundings (though, like many of our subjects, verging on obsolescence), with a decidedly architectural character, scaled to mediate between the street and the atrium behind the sculpture. In overall shape, it also echoed the nineteenth-century Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument in the center of the square.," the Statement by the Artists says .
 

"Our design made it necessary for us to select a short word to be "reproduced" by our stamp -- four letters at most. Coosje chose "free," a word with multiple implications, comparable to "liberty," the word held aloft by the female figure atop the monument across the street. The word was related paradoxically to its compressed position, and could not be read, only imagined by studying the edges of the letters.
 
"The Free Stamp was proposed and approved, and work began on its fabrication. Halfway through, however, the company changed ownership, becoming British Petroleum; as a result the sculpture was abruptly canceled. There were protests in the city and eventually we were offered alternative sites by a committee to preserve the sculpture. At first, the Free Stamp's close connection to its original site seemed too strong, but we then realized that a stamp has no fixed position and is just as often seen lying down as it is standing up. One could imagine that the Free Stamp had been picked up and thrown, landing on its side in Willard Park, one of the sites offered by the city, in view of the British Petroleum skyscraper. The new position also had the important advantage of fully revealing the word "free," radiant in its pink hue, though in reverse."

"At an impressive 28ft 10" x 26ft x 49ft, The Free Stamp in Willard Park, Cleveland has been on display since 1991," the Custom Stamps Online reports..

"The attraction is free to visit & as you can see is a great photo opportunity."

"The Free Stamp is an outdoor sculpture located in Willard Park at the northwest corner of East 9th Street and Lakeside Avenue, adjacent to City Hall. It has been called the “world’s largest rubber stamp” and measures 28 ft 10 in (8.79 m) by 26 ft (7.9 m) by 49 ft (15 m). The sculpture depicts a rubber stamp with the word “FREE” in its stamping area, the Cleveland 101 reports..

"Created by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, the work was commissioned by Standard Oil of Ohio (Sohio) in 1985 for display at its soon-to-be-constructed headquarters building on Public Square, which became the BP Tower.

"According to one of the executives working with Oldenburg, the message on the stamp was intended as a reference to the Civil War-era Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument, located across the street. In 1991, BP (donated the sculpture to the city of Cleveland. The stamp was modified to sit on its side, and it was dedicated in its new location in November 1991."

"The giant rubber stamp rests just minutes from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio. And…well…it is what it is…a GIGANTIC rubber stamp marked “FREE” (or, at least a backwards free)," the Silly America reports.

"The idea for the sculpture was originally concocted by Standard Oil and after many ideas were thrown around, the idea of a “FREE” stamp was born. However, soon after these plans were finalized, management changed hands and work on the stamp was halted and the completed parts were put into storage. Several years and another change of hands later, amidst concerns over paying for the storage, interest in displaying the pop art stamp was renewed.

"Willard Park was chosen as the new location, but, of course, it now met with government opposition. Luckily for the artists and silly Americans everywhere an election brought on new government officials who embraced the piece of art and let the giant rubber stamp be displayed in the park. Officially inaugurated on November 15, 1991, the bright red stamp still stands at a whopping 28-feet tall and 48-feet long and is FREE for all to see."

"Although it got off to a bumpy beginning in this town, the bright red "Free Stamp" public sculpture in downtown Cleveland's Willard Park has become a regional icon and a landmark," the Cleveland.com says.

""It's a meeting place," says Edward J. Olszewski. "People will say, 'Meet me downtown by the "Free Stamp.'' ' Or, if there is a political rally of some kind, the 'Free Stamp' will become the focus of that rally. That's been quite consistent over the years."

Olszewski is emeritus professor of art history at Case Western Reserve University. The retired history professor tells the story of the "Free Stamp," from its conception to its arrival in Willard Park, in his new book, "Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, Cleveland's Free Stamp" (Ohio University Press)."

"The Free Stamp in Cleveland Ohio is one of the coolest outdoor sculptures that I have ever laid my eyes on. Seriously, this large rubber stamp looks awesome!! So when you are in downtown Cleveland make sure to check it out!!"

"Giant "free" stamp. Fun spot to take some pictures."

"A giant FREE stamp. It’s silly though oddly effective. Everyone stops there for a photo."

"In your walks around the city you will stumble upon this. It's pretty impressive, just for the size alone. Don't miss the photo op!"

"A great opportunity to take a cool photo with family or friends. The kids enjoyed making different poses on it."

"The sculpture is unique and a conversation piece. It is free to visit as it is located in a public park. It is Easy to find and worthy 5- 10 minutes of your time if you are touring the city."

"How can one not love large office supplies. As someone pointed out years ago, unlike some modern art, if someone mentions The Free Stamp, you're not going to confuse it with other things. And what's not to like about a giant reminder of something being free."

Photos above: World's Largest Rubber Stamp Sculpture: world record in Cleveland, Ohio
(1): WeeRVee; (2) Diane Marie; (3) Glen Infante; (4) M Theresa Vitug; (5) Raise Up Ohio; (6) Ben Bowman; (7) Ben Bowman;

(8) Motor City Sisters; (9) Ritika Giju; (10) Latresta Addison; (11) Scarlet Wind; (12) Janis Ritter