The Organ of Marvelousness - Celeste Olalquiaga

words:

portentous: done in a pompously or overly solemn manner so as to impress

interregnum: period of discontinuity in a government, organization, or social order

scopophila: the pleasure of looking

laicization: secularization; the process that takes the licit use of powers, rights, and authority from a priest or other cleric

quotes:

"Immersed in a perspective of the world that saw in both organic and human creations the physical manifestation of a mysterious cosmic force, the "age of wonder" anchored all transcendental implications to their earthly correspondents in such a way that, for almost three hundred years, things enjoyed an unprecedented autonomy as purveyors of the enigmas of the universe." (pg 211)

"This produced that awareness of human insignificance in the face of cosmic magnitude known as a feeling of awe or wonder, best described as a state of suspension, of "held breath" - a literal arresting of the emotions." (pg 212)

"This is because marvels' appeal lay in their peculiar mix of the unknown and the mythological, whose poetic impact superseded the religious meanings that Christianity attempted to impose on them, freeing mirabilia to ride on the wings of imagination to the most esoteric meanings their novel appearances could inspire." (pg 215)

"The fragmentary aspect of these remains (as of all collectible naturalia) is fundamental for the imaginative projection that accompanies them, since fragments carry an implicit invitation to be restored to the totality from which they came." (pg 221)

thoughts:

• pgs 211-214: the display of relics, mirabilia, and naturalia in the Middle Ages and the term "age of wonder" in general; the visual display of natural history; the entire second paragraph on page 214
• pg 212: the ceraunic stone - claimed to be the concretization of thunder. the idea that anything intangible can have a tangible representation; the human need to see and touch and define
• pgs 214-215: Middle Ages' embalmed crocodiles tied with chains and hung from church ceilings signified mysteries of divine power and served as guardians to thwart other evils
• pg 219: actual body parts and whole bodies were treated as relics collected in the 16th and 17th centuries
• pg 223: examples of fake marvels like "ave manucodiata" whose legs were cut off to fit the legend; the history of searching for mystery/requiring something unknown for satisfaction

Element of Surprise

Marcel Duchamp's With Hidden Noise utilizes similar elements of surprise and the unexpected actions of strangers that I'm hoping to reach in my own sculpture. Duchamp asked his friend to put an object in the already-made sculpture and bolt it shut. Duchamp himself never knew what was inside the sculpture.

Likewise the objects I receive are not dictated or directed by me. The psychological aspect of what people choose is just as interesting as the finished product.

super awesome new idea

I've been really into the idea of keeping the objects ever-changing - a sort of interactive experience.

I thought of the free libraries around town and what if they held something besides books? Those are the quintessential cabinets of curiosities and I can't believe I hadn't thought of that before!

There are building plans for them, and as of right this second I'm leaning towards keeping my sculpture open and accessible.

Ann Hamilton

These objects from Ann Hamilton are from a book I checked out from the library. I was initially interested in the collection aspect and then became inspired by the display.

My ideas have been evolving more and more towards an interesting display for the objects to remain an interactive experience rather than preserving them in something permanent.

Techniques for melting and preservation

I've been researching how to melt objects (mainly plastic??) because I think melting all the obtained objects together into a solid mass is still an option.

Also, putting them in jars with formaldehyde is one option that would preserve the objects in a collection-like display (for which I'd have to order the chemical supplies). I like the idea of using something that's normally used to preserve things that were once living, as if the objects hold some life within them as well.

As for display purposes, I'm considering a resin cube with the objects floating inside. I've researched the overwhelming amount of types and am leaning toward Tarbender High Gloss Coating and Encapsulant. The 3D objects would be floating in the clear resin and the objects toward the outside of the cube would be visible.

Tim Hawkinson

Like Rachel Whiteread, Tim Hawkinson has works that focus on negative space. In this particular example, he casts the space between his legs and creates a unique object out of what was once empty. 

above-ground tombs in New Orleans

Curiosity

Allen McCollum's and Laurie Simmons' photographs of melted figures:

Collection of Objects

from Everything Is Illuminated

Can I Have That?

Lerma and Madera

Cabinet of Curiosity 2

Rachel Whiteread fills spaces with concrete and other substances to give validity to emptiness.

Absence creates presence; space becomes solid.

It gives the impression that everything is just a potential shell.

Her exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery shows 100 resin "spaces" which have now become the objects themselves.

These casts of library shelves evoke questions of content: the representation of what can be held in the absence/presence distinction. I think of the information held in the casted books as being removed from the work. I'm inspired by the exploration of nothingness.

Cabinet of Curiosity 1

from Alexander McQueen SS2013. 

cage/netting silhouette creates mystery and curiosity. obscured vision manipulates state of certainty.