Janine Antoni, Umbilical

Antoni used silver to sculpt her mouth around a spoon handled by her mother.  Being born with a silver spoon represents being born with privilege and nurture.  It is quite fitting then that the title of the piece is Umbilical because the umbilical cord feeds and nurtures the fetus.  The spoon's handle  also physically looks like an umbilical cord, connecting the mouth to the mother.  Literally, the spoon is the means by which the mother feeds the child. I really like this piece because it can be interpreted in so many ways.