Objects, especially readily persiable, ubiquitous, form-strictly-designed-for-its-purpose-only objects fascinates me. They radiate a certain rebellious aura that makes me want to study them, take them apart, and even in this case - to create a world around them. In Ken Botnick’s Book as Lens class, I illustrated everything a fork can be and do when it’s not serving us food.
All found images are attributed and manipulated for making of this zine
image from hypebeast.com of Damien Hirst’s show Visual Candy and Nautral History in Gagosian gallery, Hong Kong
La Scienza della Frocella, 1490 Drawing 1’2”x0’10” OG by Leo #HighRenaissance The perfectly sculpted forks - quite literally, as its shape has been stamped by a machine that shoots out million forks at a time - forms a trinity. The depth of geometric renderation glorifies the delicate balance of each hand’s weight distribution. It is the exactitude and science that makes this fork a perfect tool to shove food into one’s mouth.
image from romeprivateguides.com
American Forkthic, 1930 Oil on Beaver Board 78 x 65.3 cm OG by Grant Wood #AmericanArt These two potato or finger creatures represent the working class family of the small town in Iowa. This is what you’d call quintessencial hashtag American Art. I mean just look at it potato, jeans, plastic fork. The smallest device is so modern, easily displacable, fast-paced, yet we are surrounded by tradition. #America
details of the paintings from artic. edu/aic/collections/artwork/6565
Forks, 1958-1964 Metal and illustration Each: 21.6cm OG by Bruno Munari #Forkwithexpression The guy who is known to make the “Useless Machines” strikes again with forks that are expressive but nonetheless useless. Munari championed form and function, urging designers to reconnect with the society. I agree, Munari - what we need are forks that speaks for us but you forgot one celebrated universal sinage. Yeah, that’s right it too starts with F ;)
image on the left from medium.com/ studiomakgill-simple-thinking of Munari’s illustrations of forks.