Title: Spoons & spoonness : a philosophical inquiry through creative practice
Abstract: A social etiquette has emerged around the consumption of food in the West which
requires the use of cutlery – knife, fork and spoon. It is the spoon that is the subject of
this thesis, a utensil so familiar as to have become almost invisible. The significance of
the spoon should not be underestimated and it is employed in this study as a device to
offer insight into material practices, examine theoretical issues in relation to design and
explore the culture of representation that has developed around objects in the
contemporary field of visual and material culture. In this sense this thesis can be seen as
located in the blurred boundaries of art, craft and design and as constituting a text which
contextualises and supports a collection of artefacts developed in the course of a 'practice
led' Art and Design PhD.
The spoon exists not only as an object whose usefulness transcends time but also in terms
of a metaphorical singularity; as an idea with an infinite number of possible
interpretations and material manifestations. This thesis originates in the idea of a
reflective cross-disciplinary enquiry intended to explore fundamental questions around
what the author defines as “spoonness”, articulating that which might otherwise be
articulated through (and subsumed in) the making of the object itself. Significantly, by
tracing the journey of the authors film „Emilie Eating Soup‟ together with the various
objects, exhibitions and catalogues developed in the course of this research, this thesis
also contributes to current critical discourse from the perspective of the practitioner - a
voice that in the past has often been absent from academic discourse. It opens up the
creative processes to scrutiny and further comment, and serves as a model of analysis to
others in the field of material culture to aid reflection upon their own practice and
generate new modes of innovation. A critical reflection upon the works subsequent
reception at a series of prestigious international exhibitions and events is made
throughout this thesis. These materials, together with this text, combine to represent the
broad arc of this author‟s creative practice and collectively define the innovative nature
of this PhD.
Publication Year: 2012
Publication Date: 2012-05-03
Language: en
Type: dissertation
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