Jean-Marie Patois, Esotismo (Exoticism) Flatware, 1988. Stainless steel; tallest dimension 9 1/4 in. Manufactured by Jean-Marie Patois Creations, Paris. Denver Art Museum: Funds from Design Council of the Denver Art Museum, 2016.198.1-4. Photo courtesy of Dung Ngo.
Everyday Objects, Extraordinary Stories: A Conversation with Dung Ngo
What does it take to see a spoon as a work of art? Join collector and editor Dung Ngo and Darrin Alfred, Curator of Architecture & Design at the Denver Art Museum, for a wide-ranging conversation about obsession, discovery, and what makes flatware extraordinary.
Together they will explore the stories behind Knife Fork Spoon: Everyday Tools, Extraordinary Design and what it takes to build a collection around objects most people reach for without a second thought. The conversation coincides with the publication of Ngo's new book, Knife Fork Spoon: Modernist Cutlery 1900–2025 (August Editions/D.A.P., 2026), with a foreword by Alfred, a definitive survey of modernist flatware design. Copies will be available for purchase and signing following the program.
Knife Fork Spoon: Everyday Tools, Extraordinary Design is organized by the Denver Art Museum. Support is provided by the donors to the Annual Fund Leadership Campaign and the residents who support the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD).
