I have been trying not to talk about shows and exhibitions because I don't reeaally know what I am talking about but, what the hey, I can't ignore the exhibition on at Objectspace at the moment.
To Have and To Hold: Making Collections, curated by Philip Clarke, presents a collection of collections that are intended to demonstrate the hand of the collector and to acknowledge the art of collecting as a practice in its own right. The collections are great, especially the lovable A Short History of the World With Apologies to HG Wells, courtesy of 'collectors collector' John Perry. The jeweller in me could have hugged Clarke for the stunning collection of Victorian Mourning Jewellery cleverly sited beside the geometric jewels of Gavin Hitchings, but that's a bit creepy. No? Anyway...there is something for the magpie in everyone from sunglasses to garden implements, and ceramics to toy robots. Contraception devices your thing? There is a selection of IUDs from every decade that will make the eyes water. And oh, the carved wooden spoons by Levi Borgstrom made me fall for craft all over again.
I also attended the associated panel discussion which was billed as one which would examine the relationship between private collector and public institution, namely the museum. Despite some direct comments by panelist Rosemary Mcleod, Philip Clarke appears to have a done a good job of easing the tension in this relationship and to credit the huge amount of knowledge collectors gather alongside their treasure. But, the evening descended into a vilification of the Auckland Museum its recent policy changes and all I learned was that it must be tough to work in a public institution.
To Have and To Hold: Making Collections is at Objectspace until December.
