Spoons: Carving. Community

Celebrate spoons!

Humans have been carving spoons for millennia, but spoon carving has really exploded in popularity in the last 10 years. All across the country, communities of woodcarvers and whittlers gather to carve and celebrate this humble tool. They meet in small groups at informal whittle nights and huge crowds at organized multi-day “spoon gatherings.” Vesterheim’s exhibition Spoons: Carving. Community. captures the spirit of this recent movement, showcasing historic and modern examples of spoons carved in wood and horn.

Visit the exhibition for hands-on interactives, recorded interviews, short videos, and a “carving studio.” The exhibition focuses on the form, function, and design of spoons; on the traditions and folklore surrounding Norwegian spoons; and on contemporary and historic artists. Stay tuned for information about a spoon gathering hosted by Vesterheim.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website.