Spoonbridge and Cherry

Spoonbridge and Cherry is a stainless steel and aluminum sculpture in the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden that shows an oversized spoon with a red cherry at the end. The cherry sits on the tip of the spoon and sprays water from its stem into a shallow pool below.

Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen designed the work in the late 1980s for the opening of the newly laid out sculpture garden. The installation became possible after a generous private donation and has stood in its place since 1988.

The title combines household cutlery with ripe fruit and turns the ordinary into a monument. Visitors often see families at the edge of the pool taking photos or mimicking the shape of the sculpture with gestures.

The sculpture stands freely accessible in the public garden and can be viewed from all sides. On sunny weekends many visitors come, so early morning hours or weekdays offer a quieter visit.

The pool beneath the spoon has the shape of a linden seed and echoes the linden avenues around the garden. This botanical reference remains hidden from most visitors, even though it was deliberately chosen.

Location: Minneapolis

Inception: 1988

Creator: Claes Oldenburg, Coosje van Bruggen

Made from material: stainless steel, aluminium, enamel paint

Website: http://walkerart.org/collections/artworks/spoonbridge-and-cherry

GPS coordinates: 44.97026,-93.28911

Latest update: December 20, 2025 16:20