Flour Sieve
1956 · Polyethylene
5 1/2 x 6 1/8" (14 x 15.6cm)
Museum of Modern Art
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Earl S. Tupper
Artist
Representation
None documented
3
Institutional Exhibitions
41
Works in Collection
78
Assets Indexed
0
Authority-backed Facts
0
Publications Referenced
70%
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Selected Institutional Exhibitions
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20th Century Design from the Museum Collection
Museum of Modern Art, New York
1958–1959
No image
Christmas Exhibition: Useful Objects Under $10
Museum of Modern Art, New York
1948–1949
No image
100 Useful Objects of Fine Design (available under $100)
Museum of Modern Art, New York
1947–1948
About
Why this artist matters now
Earl S. Tupper was an American inventor and industrial designer best known for developing Tupperware, a line of plastic food storage containers introduced in the 1940s. Working in polyethylene, a newly available synthetic material, Tupper created stackable, airtight vessels that transformed domestic kitchen practice and established a prototype for mass-produced consumer plastics. His designs prioritized functional simplicity and material innovation over ornament, establishing principles that would define postwar industrial design. Tupper's work fundamentally altered how households stored and organized food, making him a pivotal figure in the commercialization of plastic for everyday use.
Source: Moma Bulk 2026 05 04 · Trust score: 92% · Updated 25d ago
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Museum of Modern Art
New York, US
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