What does collecting mean? Collecting stands for a form of appropriation of the world. Objects included in the collection are stripped of their original function and acquire the subjective status of object: one does not say "Oh, a beautiful vase", but "Oh what a beautiful object". This role assigned by the subject transforms things into possessions, into an abstraction of passion, into a memory. Thus, one wants to dispose of them like property that cannot be possessed as property: the permanence of memory, the fullness of the world. The collection is subject to a constant paradigm shift, which not only correlates with the biography of the collector, but is also influenced by external influences, such as social changes or the interplay(s) of coincidences and principles, such as a favorable opportunity.
The catalog "80 pictures of collected items" does not show photographs of subjective memories, but objects that serve as triggers for biographical associations and would otherwise not be accessible. Personal collections are to a large extent hidden, be it in boxes, cabinets or showcases, which are only made accessible to special interested parties.
