Twisted Place Setting (butter knife)

Copied Michel Royston, Twisted Place Setting (butter knife), designed 1985, manufactured 2000, sterling silver, 6 581 1858 in. (16.72.71.6 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of friends of the artist and museum purchase through the Renwick Acquisitions Fund, 2000.63.6, © 1985, Michel A. Royston

Artwork Details

Title
Twisted Place Setting (butter knife)
Date
designed 1985, manufactured 2000
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
6 581 1858 in. (16.72.71.6 cm)
Copyright
© 1985, Michel A. Royston
Credit Line
Gift of friends of the artist and museum purchase through the Renwick Acquisitions Fund
Mediums
Mediums Description
sterling silver
Classifications
Object Number
2000.63.6

Artwork Description

This piece is from a six-part place setting that Michel Royston designed in 1985 and produced in 2000. The undulating surfaces create waves of color along the smooth, polished metal that appear to dance and flow with the light. The curved handles not only add an unusual and striking design element, but also fit comfortably within the contours of a user’s hand. In this way, Royston combines organic forms with the ritual of eating, a natural function that has been shaped and refined over time by our culture.