This Fantastic exhibition at Atta has been extended until Sat 15th Nov!
The jewellery gallery in Bangkok is currently home to a collection of amazing wearable objects, all developed from the idea of a simple spoon.
The artists featured all have their own unique approach to this humble utensil, demonstrating various techniques and a utilising a variety of materials.
Albert Setyawan, ceramic wearable "spoons"
Ho Koo's side scoop spoon and precious "grains"
Poly Nikolopoulou unusual, textured spoons
Simon Cottrell's spoon Silver +10% Zinc alloy, Monel, Recycled woven nylon cord.
You can see Cottrell's work at Schmuck Munich, where he has been selected to show next year!
I am a lover of spoons, using them to mix and make my work which themselves become records of the colours and textures that I use.
One of my Hewn rings and a spoon from my studio.
The idea is to challenge artists to create something that they do not normally create and exercise their creativity by translating their practice into a new kind of work. Most importantly, it is for the artists to have fun!" - Vipoo Srivilasa, Curator (you can view the website here)
For this exhibition it was a chance to take an everyday object and explore it's shape, symbolic meanings or function with the individual artists creating their own interpretation of a spoon. The simple brief allows exploration of ideas and materials leading to a fabulous array of textures and shapes and making a familiar object into a wearable, thoughtful piece of art.
Yiumsiri Vantanapindu
Whether a usable object or decorative, spoons have many meanings. Love spoons were a folk tradition, made by young men and given as a token of their affection to a woman they admired. The wooden carvings were a chance for them to show their skill, taking time and patience. The complicated shapes and symbols communicated how deeply they admired their loved one. If a girl accepted a spoon form a suitor she might then wear it or tie it to her clothing to show that she was taken, in a similar way to an engagement ring. Even more of a reason for them being the perfect focus for a jewellery gallery!
For practical purposes wearable spoons make sense. In a nomadic lifestyle you would carry the objects that you used daily. They were useful, and therefore precious and important.
Spoons in my studio
Easily overlooked, the spoon is simple & reliable, perfectly formed for it's purpose and a daily necessity. I am happy to celebrate this essential tool (and I couldn't polish off my dessert without it!).
Hooray for the beautiful, useful spoon!
You can see plenty more pictures from the exhibition here on the Atta Facebook page.