Combining intimate areas of the body with food is a disgusting idea. Amber Stephen’s graduate collection of tableware is composed of familiar, intimate, bodily forms, intended to evoke revulsion and disgust in the context of food. The Round Pouring Vessel has the image of a belly button etched into the top face. At the centre is a hole to insert the liquid or condiment of choice and at the front is the opening to pour from. In order to pour the liquid into the vessel, it has to be poured over the nipple form at the very centre. The reaction of disgust can have a huge influence on social behaviour which can be harnessed to positively modify behaviour and help to form new ways of thinking about food and food choices. A mindful dining experience for the user might implore them to confront their own relationship with food and the unsustainability of contemporary eating habits.

Stephen’s critical and investigative approach to her work and experimentation with a plethora of materials, not just metals, has seen her work exhibited in a variety of galleries as she creates beautiful objects which contribute to creating a more sustainable way of living.