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Reasons to Collect
by Luka on Sep.28, 2010, under Assignments
One reason that people collect is to appreciate the art of other people. Michael Kimmelman says in his essay that a lot of people enjoy appreciating and looking at the art or things they collect. It is the aesthetic beauty of seeing all these creations that you find appealing all in one place. You get this sense of nostalgia as well as a sensation of a child in a candy store, where you can pick and enjoy any versions of the things you enjoy the most.
Another reason for collecting is to show off their massive collection. When I was little I collected Pokémon cards. I didn’t really collect for the reason of their aesthetic beauty. They were nice but it wasn’t that. It was being able t take them to my friend’s house or to my brother’s room and show them off. It was being able to say that I have the best collection. It was almost a competition. I wanted my friends and brother to respect and be in awe of the cards that I collected. It gave me a sense of accomplishment that I had managed to collect such a strong and rare deck of cards.
The other reason I think for collecting is the art in collecting itself. When I went through the Guggenheim the way the art was set up was as important as the artwork itself. For example, when I went through Merce Cunningham the way that the videos were displayed was almost more telling of the piece than the piece itself. There is an art to display that can really ruin or strengthen the art that is displayed.