The collected forms of cutlery are among human history's most essential tools. This idea manifests itself as an experimental topic for selected designers and artists presenting their flatware projects at the Antwerp-based gallery Valerie Traan.
Cutlery, with its distinctive sculptural sensibility, has always attracted designers. Even Bruno Munari, one of the greatest thinkers of modern design, dedicated one chapter of his book Design as Art to the philosophy, form and function of cutlery. Now, an international crowd of designers and artists, including David Bernstein, Octave Vandeweghe, Maarten Baas, Unfold, Koichi Futatsumata, Studio Wieki Somers and Muller Van Severen have given new life, new beauty and even new meaning to these simple extensions of our limbs.
The artists' varying creative philosophies resulted in several unique and unexpected objects: designer Maarten Baas presents sketchy, almost childlike cutlery in his typical contemporary style; while Koichi Futatsumata was inspired by shape of his favourite technical pen for the grip of his cutlery, rendered in the shape of hexagon. Both projects are the first works realised for the valerie_objects ‘To eat with’ cutlery collection.
More artistic approaches are seen in the work of the Maastricht-based American David Bernstein and the Belgian Octave Vandeweghe. While Bernstein connects cutlery to stories and uses myriad spatulas as starting points for his performance-based pieces, Vandeweghe uses precious gemstones to create facet-shaped tools resembling prehistorical objects or natural wonders. 'The combination of a gemstone with facets, a knife and cutlery combines notions like beauty and function,' he says. 'Beauty becomes function, and function becomes beauty.'
'When I approached the designers I knew that they would each use their expertise, background and knowledge to come up with a completely divergent range of results. But whatever stage they were at, they all succeeded in delivering a surprise,' says curator Veerle Wenes about the project, which will be also on show at Il Lazzaretto during next month's Salone del Mobile.
Work by an international crowd of designers and artists such as David Bernstein (who's Spatula is pictured left), and René Heyvaert (pictured right) gives new life and beauty to these simple extensions of our limbs. Heyvaert photography courtesy White–Out Studio
Designer Maarten Baas presents sketchy, almost childlike cutlery (pictured) in his typical style. Photography: Frederic Vercruysse
Octave Vandeweghe uses precious gemstones to create facet-shaped tools resembling prehistorical objects or natural wonders. Pictured left: Amethyst Teeth. Right: Smokey Rutile
Curator Veerle Wenes says, 'When I approached the designers I knew that they would each use their expertise, background and knowledge to come up with a completely divergent range of results.' Pictured: cutlery set by DD Trans. Photography: David Samyn
INFORMATION
'Objects & Subjects' is on view until 2 April. For more information, visit the Valerie Traan gallery's website
ADDRESS
Valerie Traan
Reyndersstraat 12
2000 Antwerp
-
Artist Zumba Luzamba on the vibrant aesthetic of Congolese fashion rebels, the sapeursThe Congolese artist takes a deep dive into a fashion subculture in his show at London's Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery. ‘I draw people in with style so that they can sit with deeper themes,’ he says
-
This Coimbatore home exemplifies the ‘modern Indian’ aestheticA spiritual pooja room and local artefacts meet European furniture and offbeat design at this intriguing residence in south India, which is the focus of Wallpaper’s interiors series, The Inside Story
-
Why Teresa Tarmey’s west London clinic is a thing of beautyTeresa Tarmey’s flagship clinic in Notting Hill is worlds away from the ubiquitous, sterile medispa. For the June 2025 issue of Wallpaper*, Hannah Tindle takes a closer look inside
-
The ageing female body and the cult of youth: Joan Semmel in BelgiumJoan Semmel’s ‘An Other View’ is currently on show at Xavier Hufkens, Belgium, reimagining the female nude
-
Food, sexuality and domesticity: Anthea Hamilton reconsiders the familiar in AntwerpSubversive and playful, Anthea Hamilton’s first survey exhibition, ‘Mash Up’ has opened at the Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp
-
Rachel Eulena Williams weaves poetry and abstraction in BrusselsIn ‘Joy & Rain’ at Xavier Hufkens, Brussels, New York-based artist Rachel Eulena Williams presents new hybrid works that are bold, subversive and steeped in complex histories
-
New Hope is Brussels’ treasure trove of 20th century designOlivier Dwek creates gallery New Hope, a treasure trove of 20th-century design in Brussels
-
Step inside Chiharu Shiota’s doll’s houseIn ‘Living Inside’ at Galerie Templon, Brussels, the Japanese artist cocoons dolls houses and miniature furniture in her signature thread
-
Concrete poetry: the architectural sculptures of David UmemotoCanadian artist David Umemoto's new Folded Stone series – on view at Modern Shapes Gallery, Antwerp – uses Japanese kirigami to evoke postmodernist dreams
-
Xavier Hufkens' new gallery space bolsters Brussels' art sceneDesigned by Bernard Dubois, who takes over the @wallpapermag IGTV channel today with an architecture tour, the new home of Xavier Hufkens gallery opened last week with a bold new show by Sterling Ruby
-
‘My brain is my studio': Kris Martin creates space for thoughtFrom hot air balloons to silver-plated skulls, the conceptual artist's deft anthological ideas are history in the making
