800-Pound Opioid Spoon Arrives At Chelsea Recovery Center

CHELSEA, NY — An artist's famed 800-pound opioid spoon is coming to Chelsea.

Domenic Esposito's sculpture raising awareness about the opioid crisis in the U.S. will be on display at Mountainside recovery center in the west side neighborhood.

"Our goal is to generate awareness about the intersection of art, activism and recovery; and the reality of the opioid crisis in the U.S.," Esposito said in a statement about his sculptures.

The specific drug spoon to be unveiled for this month's installation is one he engraved with "FDA" for Food and Drug Administration — a spoon displayed in a protest piece in Washington D.C. at the Department of Health and Human Services. For opening night, Nov. 6, a spoon signed with messages from people who's loved ones have died in the opioid epidemic will also be on display.

"Like all powerful works of art, the Opioid Spoon evokes a strong reaction in people, which drives conversation and action," Mountainside's Director of Community Development Daniel Smith said.

"When people connect and fight for change, this helps to dispel myths about addiction and removes the stigma many in recovery face," Smith said.

Esposito's The Opioid Spoon Project has been touring and protesting around the country with the sculptures, which often target organizations he believes are responsible for the opioid epidemic.

His works are inspired after seeing his brother struggle with addiction for more than a decade and finding burnt out spoons hidden throughout his family's home.

"You learn a lot about the disease when someone you love is struggling with addiction," he said.

The opening event is Nov. 6 at Mountainside, 243 W. 18th St. near Eighth Ave., with a discussion between Esposito and Smith. The spoon will be on display through Nov. 22.