I was driving down a busy street near downtown in Minneapolis, while on a visit to see relatives, and I looked to my right and saw one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen. A giant spoon with a giant cherry in it. I almost ran into the back of the car in front of me, because I was so busy gawking at it. I asked one of my cousins about it. “That’s the Cherry and The Spoon.” He said. “Or the Spoonbridge and Cherry, as it’s officially called. It’s in the Sculpture Garden.”
The Spoonbridge Cherry was designed by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, after they were commissioned by the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis for a piece of work. It was completed and installed in 1988. It measures 30 by 52 by 13 feet, and it straddles a small pond. The spoon weighs 5,800 pounds, and the cherry weighs 1,200 pounds. That’s quite a load.
I was wondering if there was a meaning, so I googled it. What I found said something about the cherry representing a fleeting pleasure, and the spoon representing sustenance and functionality. The two objects encourage people to balance indulgence with practicality.
My cousins are going to take me there so I can check it out. There’s also a museum over there also, that I’d like to see. I’m looking forward to it.