Spoonbridge and Cherry

Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen created Spoonbridge and Cherry in 1988 for the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. The 52-foot-long spoon arches across a small pond, a bright red cherry perched on its bowl. The sculpture transforms ordinary objects into monumental public art, Oldenburg's signature approach.

Oldenburg pioneered Pop Art sculpture in the 1960s, creating soft versions of everyday objects and proposals for colossal monuments. This late work, made with his wife and collaborator van Bruggen, brings whimsy to an urban sculpture park. Water sprays from the cherry's stem during warm months, adding playfulness to the already surreal image.

The sculpture has become Minneapolis's most recognizable landmark, appearing on countless postcards and tourism materials. It sits in the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, one of the largest urban sculpture parks in the United States. The garden, operated by the Walker Art Center, provides free public access to major works by leading contemporary artists.