Isn’t that cherry on top of the Spoonbridge and Cherry Sculpture striking? This isn’t just any sculpture. It’s an icon of Minneapolis. The Spoonbridge and Cherry Sculpture is a whimsical masterpiece. It was created by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen.
The Walker Art Center commissioned the piece. Frederick R. Weisman donated $500,000 for its creation. The sculpture found its home in the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. It was installed in 1988 for the garden’s opening.
But why a spoon and a cherry? Oldenburg had been doodling spoons since 1962. He was inspired by a spoon on fake chocolate. Van Bruggen added the cherry. She wanted to comment on the garden’s formal layout. She drew inspiration from Versailles and Louis XIV’s court.
The spoon represents different things to different people. Some see a Viking ship prow. Others see a duck rising from the water. Still others see flora fauna or ice skating. The artists didn’t intend it as a Minneapolis symbol. They hoped it would bring pleasure to people. And that’s what the Spoonbridge and Cherry Sculpture does.
The Spoonbridge and Cherry Sculpture’s creation was no small feat. Fabricators built it in shipyards in Maine and Rhode Island. They finished it in Connecticut. Two cranes placed it in the Sculpture Garden on May 9, 1988. The Sculpture Garden celebrated its opening in September 1988. A band of spoon players performed at the dedication.
The Spoonbridge and Cherry Sculpture has faced challenges. It was entirely repainted in 1995. Vandals spray-painted “Kony” on the spoon in 2012. The staff quickly repaired it. In 2021 the cherry was repainted in New York and returned in 2022.
The Spoonbridge and Cherry Sculpture measures 30 by 52 by 13 feet. It sits over a pond shaped like a linden seed. This evokes the linden trees nearby. The sculpture is made of stainless steel and aluminum. It is coated with polyurethane enamel. The cherry weighs 1199 pounds. The spoon weighs 5800 pounds.
Water flows from the cherry’s stem. It keeps the cherry gleaming. The pond’s shores were once lined with irises and reeds.
People love the Spoonbridge and Cherry Sculpture. Its curved forms and bright color bring joy. It’s accessible to everyone even children. The linden seed pond enhances the sculpture’s appeal. In winter when the pond is frozen the sculpture loses some charm. But the fountain’s spray revives it in spring.
The Spoonbridge and Cherry Sculpture has become an icon. It’s the unofficial symbol of Minneapolis. The Walker receives many requests for images of it.
The Spoonbridge and Cherry Sculpture is more than art. It’s a landmark. It’s a source of joy. It’s a symbol of Minneapolis. Take a moment to appreciate its whimsy and grandeur.