What does your flatware say about you? DERRIK J. LANG asks the co-curator of an upcoming exhibition on flatware at Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum.
Josef Hoffmann's "Flat Model." (AP Photo/HO/Cooper-Hewitt/Matt Flynn)
This German flatware has a handle on personality. (AP Photo/HO/Cooper-Hewitt/Matt Flynn)
You are what you eat. You're also what you eat with.
So says Ellen Lupton, contemporary design curator at Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum and co-curator of "Feeding Desire: Design and the Tools of the Table," an upcoming exhibition all about flatware (opening May 5) featuring more than 300 pieces of cutlery dating from 1500 to 2005.
"I think that choice of flatware does reflect about your values," she says.
asap asked Lupton to serve up the contemporary connotations behind forks, knives and spoons whether they're curvy, plain or plastic. If your kitchen drawer could talk, this is what it might say.
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TRADITIONAL
What it is: You probably eat with it everyday. Inspired by simple yet curvy colonial designs and available at retailers such as Williams-Sonoma or Crate and Barrel.
What it says: You're a true classic. "A lot of designs are grounded in history even though they tend to be clean and not overly ornate," explains Lupton. "The sculptural form is often historic. If you come to our exhibit, a lot of things will look familiar."
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SCULPTURAL
What it is: Sleek, modern and cutting edge. Most likely purchased from a store like Target, IKEA or Design Within Reach.
What it says: Probably not what you're assuming. "I think especially among younger people, there's a lot of interest in having a more modern houseware aesthetic," says Lupton. "It helps to separate us from our parents and to be a part of the times." Oh, schmack.
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TRIVIAL
What it is: Disposable spoons hoarded from Chinese takeout places or flimsy forks with plastic handles purchased at the dollar store.
What it says: You're carefree. "It certainly is an attitude about disposability," explains Lupton. "If you're gonna have a party, you don't want to do dishes. I'd rather do the dishes than throw so much stuff away."
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ORNAMENTAL
What it is: Granny's passed-down silver or an intricate collection given as a wedding gift that's only used on Christmas and Thanksgiving.
What it says: You appreciate tradition. "The most valued flatware is the flatware we inherit," says Lupton. "I think many people have flatware that's antique that is beloved not only because it's beautiful but because it has a history to it."
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asap reporter Derrik J. Lang once owned grapefruit spoons with bamboo handles.
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