Cabinets Of Curiosities - Lessons from the Wunderkammer (Book Review) Texture, Objects, Art, Museums

[@vin608]

This seems like the opposite of minimalism. Time to get a cabinet for interesting and weird stuff! I think your channel is also a Wunderkammer (Virtuelle Wunderkammer?).

[@TheAnadromist]

Yeah it pretty much is the opposite. It's about caring for the things of the earth. I'm always amazed when people tell me they want to be semi-nomadic, minimalist, just traveling with their portable screens. And they talk about how much they want to do for the earth. Yet they aren't interested in its physicality. Build a cabinet... slowly. It should take years.

[@samanthablythe5751]

Yes Byrne’s channel is indeed a room of wonders!

[@gregoryross1693]

What a grand idea to collect the strange things I have into one viewable place - close together as well. Great recommendation, and WHAT a lovely looking book!

[@sherismith6855]

This reminds of Ripleys believe it or not and the freak shows traveling circuses. I feel as much as an object as the viewer.

[@TheAnadromist]

It's probably better to be a physical object than to be digital pixels.

[@andrewkelly2028]

I've seen a lot of friends filling their spaces with odd things and textures, and others just having a totally messy room (but there's texture in the chaos I guess). One interesting thing I've noticed is people's proclivity towards stealing street signs. One person I know had a street sign above their bed that had one letter off from her name, and apparently it was because she got called that other name a lot. I find it interesting and somewhat charming that my peers would collect (or steal) these items from within our town, like a cool rock or a street sign. It's like they're bringing a piece of the town into their room. Obviously some probably see the street sign as a demanding, tyrannical force, and by taking it they've transformed it into something else. It's quite interesting to me and I've always been fascinated by these collections, but never thought to do it myself.

[@andrewkelly2028]

One collection though that I did start out of high school was trying to keep one particular gift that each person has given me. One day in art class a girl drew the same swirling pattern with some colors like a tree on several cards, and gave one to me with her name on it. I've kept it ever since and now am looking for anything else someone might give me to keep like that. I loathe being given manufactured cards or toss-away gifts though...because then I toss them away. I only really ever want to be given good food, or a really meaningful work done by one's own hands, but of course others would be reluctant to put such time and effort into a gift like that for me, because of the idea that I might just throw it away, as we do with many other gifts.

[@TheAnadromist]

The whole thing of stealing street signs etc to be cool started in the late 1960s when people used to constantly steal the Haight-Ashberry sign in San Francisco. Soon people had Stop signs and Wrong Turn signs. Dead End became a very popular room decoration. And it never stopped. I actually had a Parking Meter in New York City. It was way too heavy to take with me though. Alas. But I do still have a massive old American flag.

[@TheAnadromist]

@@andrewkelly2028 Sounds like a worthy collection to be sure.

[@andrewkelly2028]

@@TheAnadromist Thank you! I look forward to the collection expanding in the future. I never knew about that particular sign being stolen over and over again. Of course, how you ended up with a Parking Meter sounds like a very interesting story.

[@JohnLumgair]

I fear you might be a little disappointed with the Ashmolean my memory of it was that is quite fairly modern. The natural history musem of Tring, is worth a look

[@TheAnadromist]

Thanks for the heads up.

[@genesiskeglar6372]

Superficial comment here, but this makes me think even more seriously about Halloween decorations

[@TheAnadromist]

Indeed. I've often felt Halloween has drifted into becoming something more like Carnaval or something silly.

[@genesiskeglar6372]

The Anadromist Yeah probably so. I don’t actually know a whole lot about the origins other than what I’ve heard here and there. But for me, growing up as a kid, Halloween was always sort of a neighborhood block party. I also love the feeling of the fall, and I remember the old horror movies that I used to watch and still watch. It’s a lot of nostalgia for me, with a few other ingredients as well. And it looks like there is a full moon on Halloween this year. I mean, does it get any better?

[@karenkemphall925]

I don't wish to appear contradictory but the Ashmolean Museum is actually in Oxfordshire - not too far from London. During the 1600's when it was first founded by the Tradescents it was in Lambeth in London, and was known as The Ark.

[@TheAnadromist]

Thanks for the correction.

[@vin608]

14:20 That thing looks like a roasted Admiral Ackbar. RIP.

[@TheAnadromist]

Star Wars is indeed dead.

[@vin608]

@@TheAnadromist Byrne... what's up with all the nostalgia and remasters in our entertainment? Maybe the west has returned to a ouroboric state where we're stuck in a decadent culture?

[@TheAnadromist]

@@vin608 In the late 90's we entered a time when the snake of Modernism indeed began swallowing it's own tail. (Coming up on How We Got Here.) We have since then been living in a blind present. Most people have no real connection to the past. And the ever present now of social media keeps us from remembering the past. I personally don't live that way. But it's clear that that is the temptation. And the point of the objects in our cabinets is to touch the past physically and to get us to think about something other than the endless now.

[@vin608]

@@TheAnadromist ​ I had one of those temptations when I saw this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/norIf6aJhJd9bck Many now have this "just pursue what you enjoy" attitude. But I'm not sure if that leads to a good life. There needs to be something more... (Maybe a topic for your next Q&A video?)

[@TheAnadromist]

@@vin608 (Maybe a topic for your next Q&A video?) Maybe... Remember to ask then.