Joseph Cornell (1903-1972) Joseph Cornell 1 A one of a kind collector, American artist and filmmaker Joseph Cornell gathered more than just found objects. Cornell surrounded himself with physical and conceptual collections which were an integral part of his existence as a person and as a creator. While the personal diaries contained an accumulation of his thoughts, hopes, memories, experiences, and feelings, the artist's house treasured a versatile selection of objects that he obtained from New York's book stores, thrift shops, flea-markets, antique fairs, and the outdoors. Rare prints, books, photographs, toys, magazine pages, found objects, and anything else imaginable constituted his growing collection. Cornell gathered ideas and things that spoke to him and then transformed them into small interactive microcosms. By viewing his artwork we can gain a better understanding of his persona. Comprehending Cornell's lifestyle and emotional being is crucial in viewing and appreciating his work. Spending his entire life in New York caring for his brother, who had special needs, Cornell had difficulty communicating with the outside world. Despite the multitude of his artistic connections, he lacked the ability to form relationships. Cornell's heart ached for celebrity women, for whom he expressed his affections for through art. With no formal training, Cornell developed an individual approach to art-making, using highly complex concepts and techniques. He was especially influenced by the Surrealist style and ideas which may be detected in his Fantastic creations. Max Ernst's collages inspired Cornell to produce his own, which with time, evolved into three-dimensional assemblages. Another significant impact on his work was the Victorian Era with its lavish decorating and an overabundant use of space. Similar to Victorian homes, Cornell's house was filled with collections which he carefully organized in boxes. Like a porous sponge, Cornell collected impressions, experiences, and sensations which he instantaneously recorded. Small shadow boxes with glass lids contain examples of the "juicy material" that Cornell had gathered. Through the glass door, unique juxtapositions of objects and images evoke a sense of wonder, luring in the audience for a closer look. The surprising arrangement of unlikely matter is reminiscent of Man Ray's Gift or Marc Chagall's I and the Village. The boxes are fantastic, poetic, nostalgic, and romantic expressions of Cornell's life, sometimes mixed with desperation and melancholy. These small cubicles of magic may be compared to the Cabinets of Curiosities in their content and display of matter. In each box assemblage, the collagist combined rare finds in the most bizarre way to tell a story about his life and to allude to the childhood that was forever gone. In addition to the box assemblages, Cornell also experimented with film, layering scenes, sounds, and frames similar to his sculptural collages. Layers of time and mem.

1. Joseph Cornell (1903-1972)
Joseph Cornell 1
A one of a kind collector, American artist and filmmaker Joseph
Cornell gathered more than just found objects. Cornell
surrounded himself with physical and conceptual collections
which were an integral part of his existence as a person and as a
creator. While the personal diaries contained an accumulation of
his thoughts, hopes, memories, experiences, and feelings, the
artist's house treasured a versatile selection of objects that he
obtained from New York's book stores, thrift shops, flea-
markets, antique fairs, and the outdoors. Rare prints, books,
photographs, toys, magazine pages, found objects, and anything
else imaginable constituted his growing collection. Cornell
gathered ideas and things that spoke to him and then
transformed them into small interactive microcosms. By
viewing his artwork we can gain a better understanding of his
persona.
Comprehending Cornell's lifestyle and emotional being is
crucial in viewing and appreciating his work. Spending his
entire life in New York caring for his brother, who had special
needs, Cornell had difficulty communicating with the outside
world. Despite the multitude of his artistic connections, he
lacked the ability to form relationships. Cornell's heart ached
for celebrity women, for whom he expressed his affections for
through art.
With no formal training, Cornell developed an individual
approach to art-making, using highly complex concepts and
techniques. He was especially influenced by the Surrealist style
and ideas which may be detected in his Fantastic creations. Max
Ernst's collages inspired Cornell to produce his own, which with
time, evolved into three-dimensional assemblages. Another
significant impact on his work was the Victorian Era with its

2. lavish decorating and an overabundant use of space. Similar to
Victorian homes, Cornell's house was filled with collections
which he carefully organized in boxes.
Like a porous sponge, Cornell collected impressions,
experiences, and sensations which he instantaneously recorded.
Small shadow boxes with glass lids contain examples of the
"juicy material" that Cornell had gathered. Through the glass
door, unique juxtapositions of objects and images evoke a sense
of wonder, luring in the audience for a closer look. The
surprising arrangement of unlikely matter is reminiscent of Man
Ray's Gift or Marc Chagall's I and the Village. The boxes are
fantastic, poetic, nostalgic, and romantic expressions of
Cornell's life, sometimes mixed with desperation and
melancholy. These small cubicles of magic may be compared to
the Cabinets of Curiosities in their content and display of
matter. In each box assemblage, the collagist combined rare
finds in the most bizarre way to tell a story about his life and to
allude to the childhood that was forever gone.
In addition to the box assemblages, Cornell also experimented
with film, layering scenes, sounds, and frames similar to his
sculptural collages. Layers of time and memories are a constant
factor present in his work, allowing us to comb through them
and withdraw elements that might be familiar. During the
Surrealist movement, Cornell was viewed as an established
American Surrealist and in later years, precursor of Pop and
Installation art. He influenced numerous artists, including the
Abstract Expressionists. Major artists following in his footsteps
respected his creativity, intelligence, and skill.
Vocabulary
Many of the important terms and concepts from the textbook
readings are demonstrated in this artist's work. Be sure to study
how these terms are evidenced in the works.
· silhouettes
· low-relief

3. · manipulated
· substitution
· shapes
· sculpture
· atectonic
Artwork Gallery
Untitled (Butterfly Habit) 2
“Untitled (Butterfly Habitat)”
Joseph Cornell’s Untitled (Butterfly Habitat) of 1940 brings us
back into childhood when we warmed frosted windows with our
breath, peering through the cold glass at winter landscape.
Cornell used a similar idea by frosting the glass of the box’s
doors, leaving only small circles to reveal its contents. As
bright yellows and oranges shimmer behind the glass lid, the
audience is invited to peer inside. Six square cubicles within
showcase pinned butterflies, each different in its coloring,
shape and kind. Their bright silhouettes or contours stand out
against the monochromatic background. As they hover in their
confined cells, they function as low-relief sculptures due to
their subtle protrusion in the box’s surface. The wings
transform the space, adding dimension to the piece. Once
symbols of freedom and flight, they now are imprisoned within
organized geometrical compartments. Once living, they are now
scientific specimens reminiscent of the natural rarities in the
cabinets of curiosities. There is something magical and also
disturbing about their presentation. They are frozen in the
fleeting moment of time, left forever beautiful and trapped.
Frosted glass is evocative of Marc Chagall’s Village in Vitebsk,
country folk and animals presented through interpenetrating
transparent and hazy shapes. This romantic and lyrical theme is
also sensed in this fantastic work. While the artist reminisces on
his hopes and dreams, he realizes that they are short-lived. He

4. shields them from changing, leaving only a small window for us
to see through the fog.
Untitled (Roses des Vents) 3
“Untitled (Roses des Vents)”
Untitled (Roses des Vents) was created by Joseph Cornell.
Between 1942 and 1953, the artist continuously manipulated or
transformed the surface through substitution by adding or
subtracting objects and images to achieve the desired goal.
The manipulation of the work may also be detected in the
pasted, layered, and painted areas. The result is an imaginative
journey into the past; a voyage into another world, expressed
through maps, waves, planets, compasses, and miniature coasts.
Cornell separated the box into individual cells or cubicles, each
housing its own private wonder. Since the artist never visited
the far lands, this cabinet of curiosities was an alternate means
to travel back in time. As children, we dream of the fantastic
realm into which we can escape by merely closing our eyes.
Cornell was able to fit his wish into a box and share it with the
audience.
The open lid of Untitled (Roses des Vents) is lined with an old
map that depicts the coastline of the Great Australian Bight.
Its yellowed skin and browned edges are evocative of the
ancient treasure maps. The sliding secondary lid is embedded
with small compasses whose needles point to different
destinations, demonstrating the unlimited possibilities of the
passage. Colorful two-and three-dimensional forms or shapes
stand out with their color or texture, representing a piece of
land, a planet, or a secret location. They are eye candy that
speaks to a child within us. As we examine each miniature room
of wonders we can sense the artist’s loneliness and his dreams
for an adventurous life.

5. Soap Bubble Set 4
“Soap Bubble Set”
Joseph Cornell’s Soap Bubble Set (Ostend Hotel) 1958, is an
assemblage box that draws the viewers in for an intimate
interaction. As we closely observe the contents of this
imaginative union of three-dimensional objects, unusual details
catch our attention. This construction may be described as
atectonic due to the open space within the box where white and
clear objects look weightless and unimposing. While the aged
paint of the interior reminds us of an old building’s walls, the
exterior is covered with yellowish newspaper whose text has
been worn and smudged with time. Newspaper coating similar
to an old, cheap substitute of wrapping paper encases the small
and bare installation of a glass goblet and a white ball. Upon
closer examination, greater details come to life, such as flakes
of paint, rows of nails peering out of wood, a broken clay pipe,
and “Ostend Hotel” paper cutout. These simple and quite
useless materials become living entities which bear a bizarre
relationship to one another. They speak of isolation, decay, and
inevitable disintegration. Perhaps this small world described the
fate of Ostend Hotel, or the mindset of the artist who was
feeling lonely and hopeless. Recall the metaphysical paintings
of Giorgio De Chirico where dark colors, open space, and
isolated figures spoke of melancholy and restlessness.
Nevertheless, the glass “window” of the box acts as a barrier
between our world and the microcosm. It functions as a
protective layer that will shield the contents from further aging.
The title of this work may also be linked to Victorian times that
were of great influence to the artist. Soap bubble sets were
popular items of leisure which may have been an inspiration.
Exemplary craftsmanship and attention to detail demonstrate the
artist’s control and dedication to the work.
Andy Warhol (1928-1987)

6. Andy Warhol 1
Obsession and passion accurately describe the work of Andy
Warhol, the father of Pop art and an American cultural icon.
Through his interest of consumerism he has made many
contributions to the art world and has changed the way art is
perceived. In addition to being a filmmaker, artist, actor, writer,
and publisher, Warhol was also an avid collector. Similar to
Joseph Cornell, collecting was a crucial aspect of Warhol's
existence, which in his case seemed to take on a life of its own.
Warhol collected anything and everything, filling his rooms
with valuables and junk. He had sensitivity to interesting
materials that ranged from expensive Art Deco furniture to
unpaid receipts. Scouting flea markets, antique shops, thrift
stores, and auctions, Warhol obtained a versatile collection
large enough to take over his Manhattan house of twenty-seven
rooms and more. Spending a lot of money on acquisitions was
natural for Warhol, as he also constantly searched for
"priceless" objects of interest. American folk art,
Navajo blankets, Fiestaware, cookie jars, toys, jewelry, silver
wigs, scrap books, magazines, taped interviews, and much more
constituted his endless collection.
Following the artist's death, a mind-boggling amount of material
was retrieved from his home. Through close inspection of
Warhol's collection we may have a better understanding of him
as a person and as an artist. The spectrum of information that he
has left behind opens a door to the private aspects of his life
that he had kept hidden away from the public eye. Regardless of
the way Warhol displayed his collections, they may be detected
in every part of his work. Through accumulating objects,
Warhol created an autobiography that is now available for the
public to enjoy. Today's 8,000-cubic-foot collection of Andy
Warhol treasures is used by the Andy Warhol Museum and other

7. organizations for public exhibits.
Vocabulary
Many of the important terms and concepts from the textbook
readings are demonstrated in this artist's work. Be sure to study
how these terms are evidenced in the works.
· voluminous
· mobile
Artwork Gallery
Contents of a Time Capsule 2
“Contents of Time Capsule” – 1974
It was during Andy Warhol’s move in 1974 from one studio to
another that his greatest collection came to life. Time Capsules
originated when Warhol used plain cardboard boxes to pack and
organize his belongings. After placing papers, mail, photos,
books, and more in boxes, Warhol had realized the potential of
this activity. Dividing his life into time capsules enabled the
artist to organize his prolific and chaotic life and also freeze his
experiences in time. A box was always present by his desk
waiting to be filled with new “curiosities”. After being filled to
the rim, each capsule was sealed, labeled, and stored. Six-
hundred-and-twelve completed Time Capsules were produced
before Warhol’s death in 1987, each an autobiographical diary
of his personal and professional life.
To share Warhol’s Time Capsules with the general public,
Museum of Modern Art in Frankfurt, Germany, and The Andy
Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, joined in
collaboration opening fifteen boxes for view. While the
Museum of Modern Art in Frankfurt combined the contents of
boxes with Warhol’s other works of art and that of his
contemporaries, The Andy Warhol Museum chose to focus on

8. the capsule contents only. A surprising amount of collected
materials were retrieved from the box, each capsule encasing
between 200 to 300 objects.
As we observe the contents of the capsules and learn about
Warhol’s personal tastes, ideas, habits, and eccentricities, we
recall how early collectors stored and displayed their
meaningful and important acquisitions. While Warhol’s Time
Capsules lack the extravagant appearance of the cabinets, they
house items crucial to a life of a legendary figure – the father of
Pop art. The versatile contents of the Time Capsules may also
be compared to the Braincells of Mail artist Ryosuke Cohen,
colorful collaborative collages that resulted from continuing
correspondence between the artist and random individuals
through mail. In addition to two-dimensional objects such as
unpaid receipts and gas bills, Warhol also threw in the mix
three-dimensional ones such as Clark Gable’s shoes. Each
sealed capsule may also be viewed as a voluminous object since
it has height, width, and length.
The Andy Warhol Museum has an online exhibit of Warhol’s 21
capsules which enables the viewers to open them and look
through their items. Opening each capsule is similar to opening
a present; since excitement and anticipation are a constant
reminder of how interesting and inspiring Warhol was to his
contemporaries and followers.
http://www.warhol.org/tc21/
Installation of Shoes 3
“Installation of shoes” – 1970
Raid the Iceboxwith Andy Warhol (1970) is a body of work in
which the artist explored the relationship between museums and
collecting. Warhol was interested in the institutional approach
to collecting and showcasing. To challenge the classification
system of museums, he produced installations that portrayed

9. everyday matter displayed in unusual ways. The title of the
work alluded to the cold and dark storerooms found in museums
whose contents nobody ever sees or experiences.
Installation of Shoes is part of the exhibit. A variety of shoes
carefully placed in rows parade inside an open cabinet. Their
order and separation by color and style may refer to the
presentation of scientific specimens as seen in natural history
museums. Recall how early museums began to divide
“curiosities” into categories and display them with other similar
matter. In this installation, Warhol is commenting on
ridiculousness of the taxonomy system. The shoes become the
rarities within a cabinet, each different and unique despite their
similarities. They are sculptural objects that invite closer
observation and actual interaction. Visitors are allowed to pull
the shoes out of the cabinet, something museums would never
allow if they were valuable artifacts. Warhol breaks the
boundary between public and personal display, teaching us that
systems can be and should be broken.
Installation of Windsor Chairs 4
“Installation of Windsor Chairs” – 1970
Installation of Windsor Chairs is another part of Raiding an
Icebox with Andy Warhol (1970), which is exhibited at the
Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design. As chairs
become the main focus of the installation, hanging from the
ceiling and placed in rows on the gallery floor, the audience is
left wondering about their purpose and function. Here Warhol
utilized space to display ordinary chairs as works of art, thus
once again stressing the importance of unconventional
presentation. This work is reminiscent of Marcel Duchamp’s
Readymades that were elevated to the status of art due to their
presentation in an artistic setting. Also, recall Duchamp’s 1,200
Bags of Coal (1938), an installation of 1,200 bags of coal

10. scattered or suspended from a ceiling that allowed the viewers
to interact with the work. Warhol creates a Surrealist
atmosphere where objects transform into living entities.
Showcasing of wood chairs on walls and floor transforms them
into valuable artifacts. While their presence in a museum may
seem surprising and even unfitting, the chairs remind us that
everyday objects also possess value. Their unconventional order
criticizes the organizational principles of museums. The
installation may be described as mobile since chairs maybe
moved around by the public. This opportunity also gives the
visitors a chance to slightly manipulate the work.
Display of 3-D Objects
Introduction to Collecting
The act of collecting may be described as accumulating
meaningful or curious subject matter. Whether collecting is
driven by instinct, desire, passion, obsession, curiosity, status,
or professional research, this activity allows one to gain a better
understanding and appreciation for the material. Collecting may
be traced back in time to when prehistoric humans gathered
found or crafted objects that they thought to be beautiful or
powerful. Carved figurines were often symbols of fertility that
bore medicinal and religious powers. This tradition continued to
expand and evolve with generations to come, resulting in
limitless varieties of collectible matter. There is something
magical and satisfying about the process of collecting that may
be compared to performance. Humans embark on a search, full
of anticipation and restlessness, until they find that very special
object that satisfies them. Soon after the special acquisition,
collectors are once again hungry for the next hunt. A collection
is often reflective of an owner, regardless of its purpose or
meaning. Stories of origin, history, and relationship to the past
and present may be read through the "skin" of each object.
Through collecting, people find order, inspiration, and

11. understanding of their life as well as their past and present.
Defining Collectable Objects
Collectibles consist of items that people acquire over an
extended period of time. The contents of collections usually
have something in common. This relationship may be detected
in their appearance, function, or concept. Collectibles fulfill
their collector's personal interest or professional research and
may take many generations to complete. While collectibles are
usually objects of substance that can be experienced through the
sense of touch, they may also be conceptual. Memories,
experiences, and observations over a lifetime are just some
examples of conceptual collectibles.
More conventional collectibles encompass two-dimensional and
three-dimensional objects. Two-dimensional collectibles might
be flat objects such as family photographs, drawings, paintings,
collages, mail art, stamps, playing cards, maps, books, journals,
periodicals, currency, documents, and more. Objects that
possess width, height, and depth fall into the three-dimensional
collectibles category. Their massive nature looks and feels
voluminous, bulky, and solid. Sculptures, household items,
jewelry, cars, scientific specimens, and animals are just some of
the examples. Three-dimensional objects often seem to be more
attractive and thought-provoking due to their tactile quality.
Their plastic form, texture, and size invite viewers to touch the
objects and have a more intimate interaction with them.
The Values that Human Beings Project onto Objects
As human beings, we tend to project a lot of meaning onto
matter that is memorable or significant to us. Objects that can
be touched evoke appreciation of the past and a better
understanding of our predecessors. As children we carefully
engage with important toys or unique finds, and as adults we
store the same items in glass cases, delicately handling them as
to not damage the precious mementoes. We crowd our homes
with useless belongings just because of their emotional value.
For some reason, it often seems too difficult to throw away
objects that remind us of our experiences. Discarding them feels

12. as though we are letting small pieces of our lives disintegrate
and finally disappear.
The lifespan of an object plays an important part in collecting.
People are naturally drawn to extending the life of their
collections by preserving them in various ways. For instance,
collections of insects, animals, and plants require specialized
treatment, handling, and knowledge. Even as amateur collectors
we strive to extend the life of our organic finds such as flowers,
pods, and leaves by drying them on a window sill or pressing
them between the pages of a book. Preservation of significant
objects dates back to Ancient Egypt where humans, animals,
and personal collections were embalmed to continue their
existence after death, supporting the belief that guided their
lives. Preserving everything useful for the afterlife required a
tremendous amount of patience, dedication, and understanding
of the materials. Modern excavations of the past are collected
by museums, revealing to us the life-stories of our ancestors.
Thus excavating objects from the ground or other surroundings
may be viewed as another form of collecting. It is a crucial part
of the gathering process that requires an intimate interaction
between the collector and the subject matter. Through
excavation we extract the roots of our history and culture.
Whether this ritual happens in our backyard or on an
archeological site, we gain closure with the discovered matter
and obtain a better appreciation and insight into the past.
Symbolism of Sculptural Objects Dating Back to Ancient Times
The symbolic value of sculptural objects may be traced back to
the Stone Age, when carved sculptures carried religious and
healing powers. These figurines were created with a specific
function in mind. They were used as mediators between humans
and deities, as charms of luck and protective shields. With time,
more and more people began to collect significant figurines that
began to resemble their owners. To this day we keep objects
close to us that have personal, historical, cultural, or religious
significance.

13. Venus of Willendorf 1
Venus of Willendorf
For instance, Venus of Willendorf is a limestone figurine that
dates back to 24,000-22,000 B.C.E. While hypotheses about this
curious 11.1 centimeter figurine continue to grow, its meaning
and function remain a mystery. Small enough to cradle within
one's palm, Venus holds answers to many secrets of the ancient
world in a time when women were worshipped as high-
priestesses and life-nurturers. Exaggerated breasts, stomach,
and hips emphasize her role as a fertility figure that may have
been used as a potent charm. Venus's face has been replaced
with multiple braids, once again stressing her universal identity.
She is a symbol of the Mother Goddess, a miniature object with
a large presence.
When discovered in the early 1900s, traces of a red pigment
patina or coating suggested attempts to describe female blood,
an emblem of life-giving. Since this figurine was carved out of
Oolithic limestone it may be described as glyptic because it
retained the texture and weight of the stone. It is also tectonic
because it has an overall rounded form without accentuated
extrusions, since the head, breasts, belly, and hips mold into
one unified whole. The scale, shape, and appearance of this
sculpture demonstrate how early people instilled value and faith
into handmade objects.
Shawabti Box of Nes-mut-aat-neru 2
Shawabti
Shawabti figures dating to 690-664 B.C. are another great
example of symbolic sculptures that were displayed in numbers
and played a crucial role in the burial practices and beliefs of
the Egyptians. These statuettes were carved out of stone or
sculpted from mud to resemble the Pharaoh. They were meant to

14. function as Pharaoh's servants in the afterlife. Every culture in
one way or another has invested emotional value into objects
that were preserved and collected.
Shawabti Figures of King Taharqa 3
Today, we continue to pass down items through the generations.
Whether they possess historical, religious, medicinal, cultural,
familial, or personal value, they continue to strike us with their
beauty and importance. The patina of time may be seen in their
aged surfaces that demonstrates just how special they were to
their previous owners.
Mark Dion (b. 1961)
Mark Dion 1
For American Installation artist Mark Dion, collecting is
important as his artmaking since one feeds off another. As a
young boy, Dion collected sea shells, and as an adult, he
continues the pattern of this hobby that has become his passion
and way of life. In his work, Dion explores the definition of
collecting and the relationship it has to museums, professionals,
and the audience. The artist challenges the traditional taxonomy
of educational institutions like natural history and art museums
by creating his own classifications and displays that reflect his
personal, unique vision. Dion takes on an archeologist's
identity, defining a new classification order and thus
questioning the ones of the past. His goal is to break down the
conventional traditions of collecting and classifying specimens
and share an expanded, versatile, and multi-disciplinary
approach with the audience. As the artist excavates the layers of

15. time, he often involves the public in the process.
Tate Thames Dig 2
The artist engages the public in his work by inviting them to
partake in the collecting practices, thus generating a
performance. Three stages of the artmaking process in Dion's
work consist of digging, cleaning, and assembling. Each step is
a crucial part of the process and final product. For instance,
during the initial digging stage, participants of the excavation
retrieve interesting finds from the selected sites. Cleaning and
classification of the matter follows, allowing the
"archeologists" in their white lab coat disguise to carefully
inspect each item and find its designated place of order.
Volunteers carrying out each task may be compared to actors
who play or perform. Similar to the work of the photographer
Cindy Sherman, Dion and his assistants take on different
identities of archeologists, scientists, naturalists, and curators.
The final step in the process is Dion's final touch, of his
decisions to display the classified work for everyone to view,
marvel, and enjoy.
Dion's presentation of found objects may be described as
Fantastic explorations of old and new. The Cabinets of
Curiosities tradition is reinvented in the final stages of Dion's
work when he showcases his diverse treasures in wooden
cabinets. What makes his cabinets so curious are the surprising
and unorthodox groupings of the excavated materials. While
metal cans are juxtaposed with old pottery shards, antiques are
displayed next to modern items. The artist draws inspiration
from the naturalists and collectors of the 19th century such as
Alfred Russell Wallace and Charles Darwin, whose theory of
the natural selection inspired Dion's views of taxonomy and
natural life. Similar to these figures, Dion also travels to distant
lands to collect and examine history and modern life. By
assembling his own cabinets, shops, and science labs, Dion

16. follows in the footsteps of these great men while dancing to his
own tune.
Vocabulary
Many of the important terms and concepts from the textbook
readings are demonstrated in this artist's work. Be sure to study
how these terms are evidenced in the works.
· installation
· mass
· addition
· subtraction
· void
Artwork Gallery
Tate Thames Dig 3
“Tate Thames Dig” – 1999-2000
Tate Thames Dig (1999-2000) is the name of Mark Dion’s
exploration of the Thames River banks in London. With the help
of numerous volunteers, the artist embarked on a journey of
excavating the strata of Thame’s life and history to display in
the Tate Modern Museum. The entire process of retrieving,
cleaning, classifying, and installing the discovered treasures is a
performance of its own where roles and appearances are
constantly changed and challenged. After the physical labor of
digging and “fishing” for treasures of any size, color or shape, a
more intimate activity follows. In archeological tents each
discovery is thoroughly inspected, cleaned, and labeled by
participants dressed in white lab coats. They are “pretend”
archeologists sorting through the piles of versatile matter. In
these mounds of nails, bottles, pottery shards, toys, clay pipes,
bottles, animal bones, and oyster shells a history of Thames

17. comes to life. The old bridges, ships, and houses reappear,
telling the stories of their existence through the retrieved
remains.
After a year of collecting, cleaning, and classifying, the final
step to the project is presented inside a traditional mahogany
cabinet within Tate Modern’s gallery. Peering inside this
structure is a bizarre and striking experience, since the items
retrieved from Thames River are juxtaposed in the most
unexpected way. Dion creates his own classification system
where unrelated objects are joined in a curious marriage. The
unusual relationships between paired objects encourage the
viewers to draw their own conclusions about their nature,
purpose, and function. In a way, the artist mocks the traditional
taxonomy system by bringing personal touch to its originally
firm principles. He interferes with set-in-stone tradition,
bringing it back to the days of the original cabinets where order
of contents had a different purpose and relationship to the
public. Dion’s cabinet is an installation or an interactive artistic
environment that invites the viewers to closely observe the lush
interior of colorful shards, scraps, and other remains. The three-
dimensional contents on each shelf attract the viewers with their
mass, color and shape. The mass of each object, large or small,
is a solid form.
New England Digs 4
“New England Digs” – 2001
New England Digs (2001) is Mark Dion’s examination of New
England’s towns of Brockton, Providence, and New Bedford,
places of farms, shores and vast lands. Students from Brown and
the Rhode Island School of Design participated in the dig,
drawing an endless amount of glass and pieces of pottery from
the selected sites. Overall, there was a versatile selection of
contemporary and aged items dating back to the 18th and 19th

18. centuries. While in Providence, industrial matter was excavated
from the Seekonk River and Narragansett Bay. Brockton
surprised the “archeologists” with the domestic and industrial
items discovered in a farm area. One may imagine the
anticipation experienced by the volunteers as they extracted and
cleaned the secret treasures. The objects that once had a purpose
were brought back to life once again. Only this time they had a
different function and relationship to one another and to us, the
viewers.
Following the artist’s process of classification, newly acquired
wonders were showcased within a cabinet, referring to the early
collectors’ tradition of the 16th and 17th centuries. While the
original cabinets functioned as pre-cursors to modern day
museums, Dion’s cabinet is the aftermath of museums. It is a
personal reaction to the traditional classification system which
the artist repudiates through surprising arrangement of unlikely
materials. Here we enter a Surrealist zone where seeing
ordinary objects in an extraordinary way is quite normal. The
artist used a technique of addition and subtraction in creating
the installation. In other words, building up the contents of the
cabinet and then taking some away aided in the creative
process.
Alexander Wilson-Studio 5
“Alexander Wilson-Studio” – 1999
Alexander Wilson-Studio (1999) is quite different from Mark
Dion’s dig projects. While the artists did not excavate the layers
of earth for historical information, he did comb through the
possessions of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History and
Carnegie Museum of Art for useful and inspirational specimen.
Stuffed birds, decorative arts and various artifacts became the
filling for this installation. The title of the work reflects Dion’s
fascination with Alexander Wilson (1766-1813), an American

19. (Scottish born) ornithologist, naturalist, and artist. Wilson
studied birds by observing and illustrating them. His bird
watching may also be described as a form of conceptual
collecting that was materialized into hand drawn and painted
illustrations. Published after Wilson’s death, American
Ornithology demonstrates the great contribution of this talented
naturalist and illustrator to natural history.
Dion’s reinvention of Wilson’s studio is based on his
knowledge and appreciation of this profound figure. A small
house or studio installed within a gallery is full of decorative
arts, books, and other objects that might have been useful to
Wilson. Nevertheless, the focus of this installation are owls that
are present throughout the studio in the form of paintings,
sculptures, and architectural details. Dion even painted owls
with watercolor on paper which he randomly scattered all over
the floor and desk to express Wilson’s own attempts at painting.
In addition, several display cases also partake in the
installation. The audience is invited to enter the “studio” and
engage with its contents on a personal level. Alexander Wilson-
Studio may also be compared to a cabinet or room of
curiosities, each reflective of Dion’s perception of Wilson’s life
and work. Chaotic placement of objects around the room gives
one a sense of Wilson’s presence. We feel as voyeurs spying on
Wilson’s private quarters after he has stepped out for a moment.
This flashback into history allows us to experience the past and
its relationship to the present.
The void or empty space of the studio is emphasized by a simple
wooden frame that encases the space, allowing us to concentrate
on the essential aspects of Wilson’s life, study, and passion.
Through the combination of museum materials and personal
objects, this installation merges the boundary between museum
and art, creating a disordered living environment within a place
of order.