A comparison of ‘Spoonbridge and Cherry’ and ‘Untitled Mobile’

A comparison of ‘Spoonbridge and Cherry’ and ‘Untitled Mobile’

The sculpture Spoonbridge and Cherry was the work created by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje Van Bruggen. This sculpture was developed to illustrate or to connect Minnesota’s native America through the establishment of a Viking ship prow and thus a spoon was chosen for use together with cherry design. This is because Oldenburg likes to use ordinary items as the main theme in most of his artwork. The spoon was used over water in this sculpture to avoid dominance over other sculptures in the garden. On the hand, Untitled Mobile by Alexander Calder is an artwork that is unique and a three dimensional piece of work that was developed in 1947. Calder’s manner of presentation illustrates his creativity and exploration with objects, in addition to how they relate with space.

Spoonbridge and Cherry is silver in color and the edges were a demonstration of ice-skating. Ice-skating is a common exercise for people living in Minneapolis during the many months that are characterized by winter. The bowl of the spoon, which is at a raised level and in its large scale, demonstrated the bow of a ship. The whole concept was developed better by placing a wooden cherry with a stern created from a nail into a spoon that is in most cases found in the studio. In Calder’s piece of work Untitled Mobile, he developed the work from coated black wires that had extra extensions propagating in various directions. The idea of having hanging elements in his work was to enable people to see the mobile from many several perspectives as it hovers above them.

The process by which Spoonbridge and Cherry was developed made the whole image come out as planned and created some sense into the subject. The entire combination of this repeated in the sculpture presentation so that the image could be placed in the garden. The placing of the cherry stern was made in such a way that it resulted into a contraposition in relation to the curve of the spoon, but later it transformed into a fountain. Although the spray from the end of the stern just disperses in the air, the water is slowly brought back to its original place. The previous circular pool was changed into the shape of linden tree seedpod.

On the other hand, Untitled Mobile demonstrates Calder’s technique of putting into use of metal wire as another choice to metals that are harder. Calder recognized an approach that involved bending and cutting and this approach enabled him to develop images and shapes. Untitled Mobile therefore, was like a revelation to him that involved hanging and moving works that looked like they were just suspended in the air enhanced by invisible powers. In Calder’s sculpture, he uses very large and colorful pictures that involve elements of humor and opportunity (Sear, 2006).

Therefore, in comparing between Oldenburg’s sculpture and that by Calder, it is notable that both sculptors had an important message to pass across through their artwork. The two sculptures were aimed to enhance beauty to the environment and create some humor as people watch them. There are some differences and these include using of sculpture with different attitude. For instance, Calder used several wires that he could bend and point to several directions, while Oldenburg used a spoon to come out as an exaggerated image.

Conclusion

The two sculptures were created in a way that was unique and best suited for each. For instance, Spoonbridge and Cherry was meant to connect Minnesota’s Native America through the establishment of a Viking ship prow. While in Calder’s sculpture Untitled Mobile, he uses very large and colorful pictures that involve elements of humor and opportunity. This is because Oldenburg likes to use ordinary items as the main theme in most of his artwork, whereas Alexander prefers humor. Spoonbridge and Cherry was used over water in this sculpture to create uniqueness of the sculptures in the garden while Calder uses another different way of passing on his message to people through the use wire metals.