May 2, 2008
Berwyn, Illinois
On Friday, May 2, 2008, The Spindle was dismantled and removed from the Cermak Plaza parking lot where it stood for 19 years. The Plaza management company gave no advanced warning about their plans.
Weird, impressive and controversial, the Spindle had been the object of debate since its installation in 1989.
Residents of Berwyn fought Cermak Plaza owner, David Bermant, tooth and nail and pressed the city to force him to remove the sculpture as they had done several years earlier when Bemant erected a 40-foot "wall of garbage" at the west end of his shopping mall facing Harlem Avenue. However, at that time, they were unsuccessful and Bermant's collection of oddball artwork was highlighted by the 50-foot tower of mid-century era cars that were salvaged from an area junkyard, impaled on a steel spike, topped off by a red Volkswagen Beetle, like a cherry at the top of a sundae.
Today, we are saddened to say that an empty spot remains where Dustin Shuler's work once stood. The work had fallen into a state of disrepair, due to the lack of care or interest by the Plaza ownership since Bermant's death. Rusted and covered with bird droppings and nests of wild animals who had made the unprotected cars their home, many felt it had become an eyesore in the community.
The Friends of the Spindle Foundation felt that this landmark and works of art like it deserve more respect than it had been given. Though when it was first erected, people found it disturbing, odd and even ugly, we feel that part of the reason for art is to force the viewer to think and engage in discussion about it and even to stir the emotions. On this level, the Spindle was a significant work of art in the City of Berwyn. The worst thing for an artist, is to have his work ignored.
The Spindle could not be ignored and whether people liked it or not, it was truly art in the most fundamental definition of the word.
Within a few months, a Walgreens will be in the Spindle's place; an attempt to revitalize the local economy and the strip mall, now peppered with potholes, trash and empty storefronts.
The Friends of the Spindle Foundation would like to thank the thousands of people from across the United States and abroad who visited our website, who voiced their support and generously offered their support, time and money toward our effort to save our unique landmark. We are heartened that so many feel, as we do, that art--no matter what form--has value to a great number of individuals in the area and this does give us some hope for the future of the arts in our community.
We are currently discussing the future of the Foundation and the best way to honor our supporters and fellow art patrons who donated to our cause. We are investigating the possibility of commissioning a new, different sculpture to be donated to the City of Berwyn which would be placed on public land, so that it will not meet the same fate as the Spindle.
Again, thank you for your support. We will always remember the Spindle as something special and unique to Berwyn and we hope that you had the opportunity to experience it for yourselves.
Sincerely,
Maggie Ragaisis
Sabine Krauss
Brian Dillon
Greg Neise
Kit Shelton
Save the Spindle supporter and local hip-hop artist, Aaron Curran was featured on Chicago CBS News regarding the auction of the Spindle.
