Spindle (sculpture)
| Spindle | |
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| Artist | Dustin Shuler |
| Year | 1989 |
| Type | Assemblage |
| Dimensions | 15 m (50 ft) |
| Location | Cermak Plaza, Berwyn, Illinois |
Spindle was a sculpture created in 1989 by artist Dustin Shuler (1948–2010). It consisted of a 50 foot spike with eight cars impaled on it.
From 1989 until its demolition on May 2, 2008, it was located in the car park of Cermak Plaza shopping center, at the corner of Cermak Road and Harlem Avenue (Illinois Route 43) in Berwyn, Illinois.
It was originally commissioned by the shopping center developer and owner, David Bermant, a collector of modern art who also donated his BMW car to be placed second from the top of the sculpture. Shuler himself owned the red 1967 VW Beetle that crowned the sculpture. The foundation of the sculpture reached nearly 30 feet into the ground; the cost of erecting it was over $75,000. The sculpture has been featured in the film Wayne's World, on the cover of a book, on postcards, state tourist brochures, and maps. On August 28, 2007, it was featured in the syndicated comic strip Zippy the Pinhead.
The impaled cars on the spindle, from top to bottom, were:
Although the Pop Art installation was emblematic of Berwyn for two decades, it was not universally loved in its hometown. Just the presentation of the plans for its erection drew scathing debate in the city council, although no permit was really needed for artwork erected on private property. Throughout its existence, the sculpture was controversial amongst Berwyn residents, and in 1990 they voted overwhelmingly for it to be removed. However, the mayor of Berwyn described the sculpture as "icon in our community", and Bermant claimed that the shopping center received 30% more business than comparable shopping centers due to the quirky art around the center. When Bermant died in 2000, the artwork lost one of its major defenders and the shopping center changed hands. That set the stage for the sculpture's eventual removal.
In July 2007, it was announced that the shopping center was to be partially redeveloped and that the site of the sculpture was earmarked for a new Walgreens store. Cermak Plaza already had a Walgreens but it lacked a drive-thru window, which the new structure would include. There was debate as to whether the sculpture should be relocated or simply removed due to the high cost of relocation (estimated at over $350,000). The uncertain future of the sculpture again sparked disagreement between residents who viewed it as a Berwyn landmark and those who viewed it as an eyesore.
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