It’s easy to take the spoon for granted.
But at Inverness Museum and Art Gallery, this humble utensil is getting the love it so richly deserves.
Opening on Saturday 31 May, Spoonful is a new exhibition that brings together history, craft and culture in a warm celebration of spoons from all walks of life.
Drawn from the archives of Inverness Museum and the Highland Folk Museum, the show features everything from elegant silver pieces to rustic wooden spoons and intricately carved antler utensils.
There’s real artistry in the everyday, and the exhibition doesn’t stop at the past.
It also presents freshly commissioned work by contemporary makers Stuart Cairns, Helena Emmans, Caroline Lingwood and Gabi Veit, whose imaginative designs push the spoon far beyond the soup bowl.
Each artist brings a unique perspective, transforming a simple object into something sculptural, symbolic and deeply human.
The spoon has long served more than food.
It has stirred ceremonies, bridged cultures and carried stories through generations.
To honour this deeper meaning, the museum has worked closely with communities over the past six months, uncovering personal connections to spoons and turning them into art.
That work is on display in the Community Gallery, in two thoughtful shows under the banner An Extra Spoonful.
Pupils from Cantraybridge College share striking new sculptural pieces, while women from the Afghan Resettlement Programme have collaborated with artist Lizzie Wood to create a beautiful cookbook filled with flavour and feeling.
Elsewhere, a regular group from Keltic Care teamed up with artists Dean Melville and Mike Webster to craft a sound piece that brings their stories to life.
There’s also a chance to support young creatives from the Brora Gallery Social Enterprise Project, who will be selling their own hand-carved wooden spoons in the museum shop.
The project not only nurtures creativity, but helps build vital life and employability skills through a blend of practical learning and artistry.
Kirsten Body, Visual Arts Programme Curator at High Life Highland, says the idea behind the exhibition was to give space to overlooked treasures and bring communities into the heart of the storytelling.
“We’ve developed this project to showcase some little-known parts of our collection,” she explains, “and to explore cultural and social issues in collaboration with groups across the Highlands.
“It’s well worth a visit, and we hope people leave with a new-found appreciation for the humble spoon.”
Spoonful runs until 26 July and is free to attend.
