We always enjoy spotting objects repurposed for other uses. Every year thousands of art collectors gather in Miami for Design Miami show. Ornamentum Gallery had a booth at the fair. They had sculptural art, jewelry and decorative pieces made with plastic antique silver-plated trays, flatware, and tea sets. The pieces were very clever and very expensive.

Everything silver in the booth was once used in the home. Rectangular and oval trays in a variety of sizes were cut apart and soldered together to create larger pieces. The artist also moved parts of objects around to make humorous narratives — tray handles were cut and reapplied to create unfamiliar shapes. It wasn’t all wall art. On a table we found a pyramid sculpture made from a large collection of melted spoons. Silver-plated domestic wares are selling for very little today, so anyone can repurpose them. Think twice before you sell that old tea set you inherited. You might be able to turn it into a wall plaque.