Marta's Knife, Fork, Spoon 3.0 Explores Cutlery Through 3d Printing
Amy Duong — June 10, 2026 — Art & Design
References: marta.la
Knife, Fork, Spoon 3.0 is a group exhibition presented by Marta gallery and curator Dung Ngo during Copenhagen’s 3 Days of Design. Bringing together 12 artists, designers, and architects, the project explores how 3D printing can transform the design and production of cutlery. Participants were invited to create spoons, forks, and knives that challenge the limitations of conventional manufacturing, resulting in pieces that range from highly functional objects to sculptural interpretations of everyday dining tools.
The exhibition builds on Ngo’s broader research into the history and future of cutlery design, which also informed his recent book and museum exhibition on the subject. Featured contributors include Greg Lynn, Rafael de Cárdenas, Jolie Ngo, Marcin Rusak, Jacqueline Rabun, Minjae Kim, and Nifemi Marcus-Bello. Many of the designs embrace forms that would be impossible to produce from stamped stainless steel, using 3D printing to introduce new levels of complexity, customization, and material expression.
Image Credit: Marta
The exhibition builds on Ngo’s broader research into the history and future of cutlery design, which also informed his recent book and museum exhibition on the subject. Featured contributors include Greg Lynn, Rafael de Cárdenas, Jolie Ngo, Marcin Rusak, Jacqueline Rabun, Minjae Kim, and Nifemi Marcus-Bello. Many of the designs embrace forms that would be impossible to produce from stamped stainless steel, using 3D printing to introduce new levels of complexity, customization, and material expression.
Image Credit: Marta
Trend Themes
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Additive Cutlery — 3D-printed forks, knives, and spoons are expanding tableware beyond stamped metal norms through intricate geometries, lightweight structures, and digitally controlled forms.
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Functional Sculpture — Everyday dining tools are becoming collectible design objects as artists merge utility with expressive silhouettes that traditional manufacturing cannot easily produce.
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Custom Dining Objects — Personalized flatware made through digital fabrication introduces new possibilities for ergonomic fit, aesthetic variation, and limited-edition production.
Industry Implications
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3D Printing — Additive manufacturing is gaining relevance in consumer object design by enabling complex small-scale products with faster iteration and reduced tooling dependence.
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Tableware — The cutlery market is being reshaped by experimental materials and digitally produced forms that create differentiation beyond conventional stainless steel sets.
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Design Galleries — Exhibition spaces are evolving into innovation platforms where speculative prototypes can influence commercial product categories and future manufacturing aesthetics.
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