Whimsy in the Park

Spoonbridge and Cherry, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN. Spoonbridge and Cherry has been delighting Minneapolis families for the last 34 years and has become a symbol for the Twin Cities. Today’s post is a tribute to its designer, Claes Oldenburg, who passed away this week. Oldenburg collaborated with his wife, Coosje Van Bruggen, to create the whimsical piece, marking the opening of the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden at the Walker Art Center in 1988. Known for his Pop Art, mostly depicting oversized versions of everyday objects and food products, Oldenburg, along with Van Bruggen, was commissioned to create the centerpiece of the gardens. Spoonbridge and Cherry is a (30’ x 52’ x 13’) large spoon with a Cherry on top, which spans a small pond in the shape of a linden tree seed. It’s also a fountain with water spraying from the cherry stem’s top and base to keep the surface gleaming. Oldenburg was inspired by a novelty-piece he acquired in 1962 depicting a large spoon resting on a pool of plastic chocolate. He also stated that he compared the raised bowl of the spoon to the prow of a viking ship. Van Bruggen designed the cherry as a personal symbol- finding happy moments in her childhood which was clouded by WW2. An interesting note is that Oldenburg’s brother, Robert E. Oldenburg, was the director of MoMa from 1972-1993. Claes Oldenburg has left a legacy of art to inspire and delight the masses.