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Steve Herrnstadt, a University Professor of industrial design at Iowa State University, has received a $10,000 Iowa Arts Council Art Project Grant for “Violence and Healing: The Knife as Metaphor and Tool.” The project is an exploration and reflection of society’s contradictory capacities for violence and caring/healing using the knife form as a metaphor. Herrnstadt will create a series of experimental and traditional forged and finished knives as fine art and utilitarian pieces; he will also offer public demonstration/workshops of low-tech blade-forging and finishing techniques.

Integral to this project is discussion of “what is implied about our society/species by our objects — in this case, knives — and the thin physical/emotional line that separates physical or psychological healing and injury?” Herrnstadt’s goal is to connect Iowans by integrating conversation, awareness and hands-on making.