Two Silver Soup Spoons c. 1936

Nicholas Zupa drew these two silver soup spoons sometime between 1855 and 1995, using pencil on paper. The spoons sit parallel, each rendered with an almost photographic precision. Zupa’s mark-making is so sensitive and subtle, with an obsessive commitment to details that transform ordinary objects into things of beauty. The reflections on the metal are so carefully observed that they almost seem to glow from within. You can imagine him studying them intently, trying to capture their unique form and luminosity. This attention to detail really emphasizes Zupa's vision, and it reminds me a little of Giorgio Morandi’s still life paintings, in which the artist finds something monumental in simple, everyday objects. Both artists share a sense of quiet contemplation, inviting us to slow down and consider the beauty that can be found in the mundane. And like all good art, Zupa’s spoons remind us that there is always more to see.