A quick walk across the pedestrian bridge from Loring Park leads you to the most interesting collection of art in the Minneapolis area. For a transplant from small town USA, it was quite an intriguing experience. While I know this is Lakesota, and we’re mostly about lakes, I couldn’t resist sharing my experience at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. There is some water as you can see so perhaps it still counts?

BRIDGE OVER THE HIGHWAY

This isn’t part of the art per se but it was a bit trippy for me. Call me a podunk, I’m definitely not used to walking 30 some feet above 17 lanes. I definitely felt a bit of a dizzy spell drudging my way across that thing with all the locals laughing at my misey. Not really, yet I feel a little scarred by the experience (not actually).

If you are a local or a frequent visitor to any major city something as simple as a pedestrian bridge may not seem very interesting to you. To me, in a world dictacted by vehicles, I find joy in the fact that there are some areas that take two legged vehicles into consideration. The reality is that many cities were strategically designed to seperate certain demographics from the rest.

Just a 7,000 Pound Cherry and Spoon…

No big deal, right?

Arguably the most stunning peice of art in the park is the Spoonbridge and Cherry. The Spoonbridge and Cherry is an iconic sculpture in the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, designed by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen. It features a giant spoon bridging a pond, with a large cherry on its tip that also serves as a fountain.

The visual effect of the cherry on the tip of a spoon gave me a sense of a delicate balance. With everything in its place you can stand up against the odds when focusing on a strong base. In the warmth of the day the mist from the fountain that is part of the cherry lightly dances through the air on to anyone standing close enough.

Learn more about the Spoonbridge and Cherry.

The Big Blue Cock in the Room

Have you ever seen a blue 15.5 foot cokerel? You have? Well, I had not previously. It hard not to giggle to yourself while viewing this massive structure. What does it mean? Why is it blue? Why is it a chicken? I don’t know, it’s easier not to think too long on these things.

It stands out boldly against everything else in the garden. Unyielding and striking, it commands attention with every aspect of its physical appearance. Firmly planted on its concrete perch, it stands ready to greet the morning. Whether laughing or judging, the sculpture piques the interest of all who stand before it.

Learn more about the Hahn/Cock.

There is so much to see at the Sculpture Garden. Take a short walk from Loring Park, across the Irene Hixon Whitney Bridge, and down into garden. I am not even sure we saw all that was on display that day. If you are looking for a place to take a stroll while in Minneapolis you can’t go wrong. Find yourself a parking spot over near Loring Park, say hellow to the squirrels for me, and let me know what you think. You won’t regret it.