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Flatware Set

A work made of sterling silver.

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  • A work made of sterling silver.

Date:

2007

Artist:

Greg Lynn
American, born 1964

Commissioned for Alessi

About this artwork

Architect and designer Greg Lynn’s flatware for Alessi is a brilliant reinterpretation of the figurative tradition in tableware design. With its sinuous lines, the flatware formally reflects Lynn’s ongoing interest in Art Nouveau and the late-19th-century designs of architect and designer Victor Horta. Beginning with the premise that all flatware is designed from the spoon, Lynn conceived of the cutlery as a kind of genetic system made up of stem, leaf, and flower, and capable of endless variations. Lynn produced the flatware using a three-dimensional digital-printing method and layers of liquid metal. The result is that each piece is figuratively articulated and differentiated from the others with subtle mutations, as the basin and tines of the fork blend in surprising combinations.

Greg Lynn’s prototype flatware is a brilliant reinterpretation of the figurative tradition found in the design of tableware. Produced with a three-dimensional digital printing method that employs liquid metal, each piece was created by layering liquid forms on top of one another. The cutlery was conceived as a system of stem, leaf, and flower that forms a single setting. Formally, the flatware reflects Lynn’s ongoing interest in Art Nouveau and the craft-laden designs of the architect Victor Horta. Each piece is figuratively articulated and differentiated from the others to reflect its inherent function. Collectively, the flatware presents itself as a selection of unique flowers.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Architecture and Design

Artist

Greg Lynn (Architect)

Title

Flatware Set

Place

United States (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

2007

Medium

Sterling silver

Dimensions

Variable dimensions

Credit Line

Celia and David Hilliard Fund; purchased with funds provided by the Architecture & Design Society

Reference Number

2007.646.1-5

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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