People have been collecting and displaying decorative plates as long as there have been food and walls, I would imagine. But plates featuring the work of contemporary artists, whether mass produced or limited edition, are a relatively new phenomenon. Featured here are some of my favorites, available online at MoMA, Other Criteria (Damien Hirst’s online shop) The New Museum,Gagosian, Grey Area, and The RePop Shop (which is my own online shop) In 2009, I produced 7 different plates for Anthropologie – now sold out, I sell a signed edition of the few I have left. Some others, like the Magritte melamine ones at MoMA, can be used to eat on even, but most are for display only. I think it’s a great way to collect established or out-of-reach artists like Jeff Koons (I want that Michael Jackson and Bubbles plate) or Maurizio Cattelan, who is now retired and not making work anymore. I recently ordered Kenneth Pietrobono’s Rose Commemorative plate through Kickstarter, featuring “The Congressional Disapproval Rose“. With each plate purchased, one is also sent to your congressman of choice (something tells me, John Boehner is going to have service for 50) Some plates are relatively inexpensive, produced in mass like Catelan’s metal “finger” plate at MoMA and others are signed limited editions, like John Waters Farrah doll, which sells for $500. Anyway, have a look – that is free.

Teresita Fernández, April Gornik, Mary Heilmann, Maya Lin, Richard Prince, Ed Ruscha

Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Alex Katz, Tom Sachs