Collecting in a nutshell...
Collecting is defined by Russell Belk as “actively, selectively, and passionately acquiring and possessing things removed from ordinary use and perceived as part of a set of non-identical objects and experiences.” It is an interesting area of study because although there are known trends and traits within collecting, each case is individual. I am especially interested in the way items lose their original purpose or function once they become part of a collection and the way they are taken out of the disorder of everyday life and become carefully documented items.
I have chosen to look at pistachio shells as they form part of a current collection of mine. They are extremely energetic and playful objects, however I also like the melancholy and sadness they carry with them once they have fulfilled their purpose and are discarded. I also like the irony and play on words of the title I have given this project: ‘Collecting in a nutshell’.
Collecting is defined in the English dictionary as obtaining or seeking out (specimens, stamps, books etc.) to add to others, especially as a hobby. A more comprehensive definition by Russell Belk also suggests that collecting involves “actively, selectively, and passionately acquiring and possessing things removed from ordinary use and perceived as part of a set of non-identical objects or experiences.” However what is missing from both these definitions is an answer to the more complex issue of why people collect; an important aspect to consider when understanding a collection itself.
Material culture describes the “segment of man’s physical environment which is purposely shaped by him” in order to adapt to the world. It is therefore interesting to consider why man feels the need to gather aspects of his own material culture to form collections. Possible explanations could lie in the need for man to give meaning to the world which he has created; to generate a sense of order and to make sense of things. There are, however, also those who use collecting as a way of communication and expression or as a method of self definition. According to Majorie Akin, (author of Passionate Possession: The Formation of Private Collections) there are five main reasons for collecting: to satisfy a sense of personal aesthetic, to gain a sense of control or completion, to connect themselves with history, for profit and for the “thrill of the chase”.
Objects hold a certain presence as they stand as physical representations of the past within the present. They possess their own history or lifespan which can be traced, and like us they age with time. “Collectors are people with a tactile instinct” and this could explain the bond or emotional attachment which often occurs between owner and object. However, when an object becomes part of a collection, the importance of its individual identity changes. It often becomes a tool through which the identity of the collector can be expressed, with each owner placing different emphasis on different aspects of the object and its history.
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