Silver Funeral Spoon c. 1938

Kalamian Walton made this drawing of a silver funeral spoon. Walton lived through a transformative period marked by industrialization, urbanization, and shifting social structures. This drawing of a funeral spoon prompts us to reflect on how we commemorate loss and the rituals we develop around death. Spoons like this were often engraved with the initials and dates of the deceased, transforming a functional object into a personal memento. In many cultures, silver is associated with purity and remembrance. The spoon becomes a symbolic object, mediating the space between life and death. Walton, through this drawing, invites us to consider how we grapple with mortality and the enduring power of objects to carry memories and meanings across generations.