Internet Collections and Bookmarking

The Internet has allowed collections to take on a whole new meaning, and a whole new form. Everyone is a collector now - of photos, of friends, articles, links, charts, followers, websites and blogs. Your bookmark bar is a collection. Your twitter followers are a collection. I am becoming fascinated with the issues of taxonomy, cataloging and organizing these online collections - it is the intersection of data collection and management, archiving and cataloging these non-tangible, yet visible items.

As a result of how large the internet is, I am constantly looking for ways to keep my collections in check - keeping them cohesive, connected, accessible and logical, while at the same time using each of the various web tools independently. Content can be posted to multiple social sites at one time, or kept separate. This bring into the fold the issue of keeping various social site connected, yet relevant instead of redundant. Is my attempt to appeal to different audiences or share the same information in a variety of ways? Unlike these various social websites, blogs are slightly easier as they are assigned a theme or topic, and so the content can be tailored in this way.

In order to keep track of my own online collections, I have been exploring various bookmarking sites in order to save, catalog, categorize, tag, and organize web content. I make excellent use of my bookmarks bar on my web browser, but between work, home and my smart phone I finally started exploring the various options for "social bookmarking" site and apps; one place to keep track of everything.

The social aspect is far less important to me than the bookmarking aspect. At first I was using Evernote - a fantastic site with an equally fantastic app that goes with it. Evernote lets you clip anything from documents to images to web URLs, and organize them into "notebooks". I loved Evernote so much that I quickly filled up my allowed storage and seem to often go over my monthly allowances (I don't think this should be a concern for the average user). The downfall with Evernote is it's design - it's effective, but just not nice to to look at, and it lacks a certain simplicity. As much as I enjoy this tool, it's strength is in it's ability to multi-task, when I only need it to complete one task, and complete it well: bookmarking.

I moved onto delicious, digg and hunted around trying a variety of other sites, but I want more than something that can be organized into different lists. Only recently have I found the answer for my collections of links!

Finally, I found it - Pearltree is my new obsession, and allows me to interact with the internet in a more intuitive way. With pearl tree, your links are represented by "pearls" and connected together in a tree of a configuration of your choosing. To me, its a series of mind maps and instead of using tags, things are organized into collections, groups, sub groups and can be dragged and dropped easily wherever I want them, and displayed in an aesthetically pleasing, cleverly designed and entirely visual way.



How do you keep track of your web based and web related collections?

All the....

I've come across James Gulliver Hancock's illustrations on a few different occasions on the internet, but there is something about his illustrations that I really love, I'm always really interested in how artists illustrate/represent collections in their work. Of course I'm attracted to this series, the "All the..." series, which features all the snow in Montreal, all the buildings in New York, all the mountains in Switzerland, all the rooftops in Paris etc. They are wonderful busy little line-drawings/prints that capture a series of collections, most of which could never exist in real life. Enjoy.

Behind the scenes

These are a couple of photographs I wanted to share from various museum archives. They were part of a show called Camera Obscured in 1997 curated by Vid Ingelevics and they can be seen here on this website. I love them because even though I study museums and galleries and the roles that run such institutions, I rarely actually think about the people who created the ‘environments’ in galleries, or the beginnings of museums. They are lovely photographs of lovely museum collections.

Visitors walking through dirt fields towards newly constructed Field Museum of Natural History, Grant Park, Chicago, 1921. Photographer: Charles Carpenter.

Photographers at work in the 'operating room' in the High Attic, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1924. Photographer: not recorded.

Dr. James L. Clark and unidentified technician with lion group in preparation, Akeley African Hall, American Museum of Natural History, New York, 1934. Photograph: Julius Kirschner.

Working on Flying Bird Group, Sanford Hall, American Museum of Natural History, New York, 1947. Photographer: Alex J. Rota.

Billo and Bella, museum guard dogs, with their trainer, Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, 1941. Photographer: not recorded

- casey

Office Inventory

This was an exercise for a class at school looking at material culture, meanings associated with objects, and the kinds of things we have, save and keep, and why:

In taking inventory of my desk/office area, I realized what a daunting task this was ultimately going to be. The amount of stuff that I am surrounded by each day, never seemed to count as actual objects before, they just existed. In thinking about my belongings, I began to consider the value either inherent, imposed, implied or created in each object, and how I might use these attached values to find order. This led me to six categories in which I could find a place for each object and that reflect the way I think about my things; Things that hold sentimental value; Things that are aesthetically pleasing; Things that are useful; Things that are useless; Things that have accumulated; Things that garbage. These categories are broad and so in some cases an object may fit into more than one category, though I chose the one that was most relevant. For example, the copper space ship sculpture my father made for me is found under “Things that hold sentimental value”, although I also find it to be stunningly beautiful and it could just as easily be found under “Things that are aesthetically pleasing”. However, my emotional attachment to the sculpture is stronger than my aesthetic attachment. My shifting relationship and interpretation with each object is also not reflected in this inventory, which shares some similarities with a photograph – capturing a particular place at a particular moment.
This inventory is by no means a definitive look at this space, nor at my possession and the ways in which they can be organized, classified, analyzed or understood, but a beginning to a greater understanding of my own attachments to things. Within each category I have attempted to prioritize each object, although distinguishing value between objects that share the same category is far more difficult than the initial classification.
Note: this inventory only includes the surface or my desk, side table and shelves. I have not included an inventory of the drawers, or what can be found on the floor or under my desk.

Things that hold sentimental value – objects that have an emotional meaning or connection. Much of their meaning comes from the stories and memories that go along with each item.

Things that are aesthetically pleasing – objects that can be found in my office, purely as decoration. This category includes art as well as knick-knacks and trinkets that I really enjoy.

Things that are useful – objects that are in my office area to serve a purpose. This includes practical items, tools, and things with a utilitarian purpose.

Things that are useless – objects that are useless either in general, or that are useless in the context of being in an office when they serve no other purpose (aesthetic/decorative).

Things that have accumulated – objects that belong elsewhere is my house, but because I am a messy person, have managed migrate and move into my office space.

Things that garbage - objects that just need to go.



Things that hold sentimental value
1 black framed photograph of Nick & Casey
2 mini red felted mittens - part of an old art project
1 heart shaped sticky note reads “I Love You” from Nick
1 copper space ship – art by dad
2 mini red felted mittens - part of an old art project
1 handmade small green canoe – dad’s art
1 unframed family photo at grandparent’s 60th wedding anniversary
1 small Swiss Army knife & brown leather case
5 plastic farm animals
-1 pig
-1 duck
-1 small cow
-1 large cow
-1 rooster
1 stone carved hippo
1 Canada themed disposable camera
1 handmade small green canoe – dad’s art
1 hackie sack
1 plastic mini pylon
1 program for A Midsummer Nights’ Dream – Port Perry Production 2009
1 blue plaid tin box (contains pencil crayons)
1 small tin box (contains charcoal)
1 mercy blanket from Nuitblanche
2 salt-water taffy

Things that are aesthetically pleasing
2 red Dala Horses - gifts from mom
-1 large
-1 small
3 antique oil cans - part of a larger collection
1 white leather Eames office chair
1 black framed original collage – gift from mom
1 bent, burned spoon - art made by dad
1 handmade collaged Christmas ornament
1 photograph of iceberg in Newfoundland
1 little Ifle tower souvenir – gift from boss, from his trip to France
1 “Luben BoyKov” exhibition catalogue – “The Rooms” Newfoundland
1 jar of deep red ink


Things that are useless
1 iBook – broken, painted Grey play - used as a play prop
1 Playstation 3 Instructions (French Booklet)
1 blue plastic ring
1 plastic bird beak with elastic to be worn
1 broken purple wax teacup cast – experiment from art project
1 pink box full of pink ribbon
5 rough cut metal bird silhouettes (part of abandoned art project)
1 blank wooden business card
1 Art Matters Magazine from the AGO
1 china bird
1 paper bag contains:
1 “L” shaped bracket
4 1/4” wood screws
5 white feathers
1 black feather
1 wooden spoon covered in red wax
1 decorated stick (from children’s workshop)
7 short wooden dowels



Things that are useful
1 Macintosh PowerBook G4, 15” Titanium Laptop
1 old, paint covered drafting table
1 Sony headphones
11 cardboard file boxes
-3 grey
-3 plain cardboard
-1 blue spotted
-5 burgundy & white pattern
5 clipboards
1 moleskin notebook
1 pad of graph paper
1 printer with paper
1 black cardboard IKEA file box (contain school papers)
1 painted wooden IKEA box with drawers
1 speaker system (2 speakers)
1 small spiral note pad
1 unopened letter from The Power Plant (probably containing membership
4 black, fine felt tip markers
1 skinny red marker
2 blue ink ballpoint pens
1 black ink ballpoint pen
2 2HB pencils
1 mechanical pencil
4 litho crayons (No. 1,2,4,5)
3 Steadlter blue pencils (4H, 4H, H)
1 pair scissors
7 new/unsharpened 2HB pencils
1 wire cutters
1 round needle nose pliers
1 stapler
1 open package of photo mounting corners
1 red elastic band
5 palette knives
-4 plastic
-1 wood/metals
1 roll of toilet paper (for nose-blowing)
1 soft measuring tape
1 HP Premium Photo Paper Box of 100
1 pink halogen desk lamp
1 HP refill Ink Cartridge
1 pad of blue post-it notes
1 Mac dongle
1 3 hole punch
1 sheet acetate
1 ashtray made from a coke can
1 original “Chapstick”
1 PKG blue sticky tack
1 Toronto Public Library Card
2 eyeliner - charcoal and jet black
1 pink lighter
1 bobby pin
10 paper clips
14 pennies
4 nickels
1 dime
1 quarter
3 fountain pen tips
1 alligator clip
2 white erasers


Things that have accumulated/migrated
1 flat cutout wooden painted puffin – decoration from Newfoundland
2 carved wooden bracelets – purchased in Kensington
1 jar of buttons
3 cheap metal bracelets
1 envelope containing 66 old black & white photographs
5 cards
-1 from Grandparents, Christmas 2009
-1from boyfriend’s Mother, Christmas 2009
-1 from boyfriend’s sister, Christmas 2009
-2 blank, still in plastic
3 “Sophisticated Finishes” 350ml bottles – copper, patina, iron surfacer
1 pair of black shoelaces
1 matchbox
1 button ring
1 pink Dodo Lab pin
1 guitar-tuning key (glow in the dark)
1 nightlight and light bulb
9 CD’s
-burned Sin City
-Almost Famous Soundtrack
-John Mayer “Heavier Things”
-Lord Of the Rings
-2 blanks CD’s
-burned “The Machinist”
-HP photosmart printer installation CD
1 House and Home Magazine, Feb 2010
1 C Magazine
1 dust mask
1 unopened PKG of 10 Picture Hanging Screws – Lee Valley Tools
1 “BASICS” cooper paint tube
2 large industrial metal clips
1 pink nail polish
1 chocolate ball – gold foil

Things that are garbage
1 screwdriver missing all bits
1 “class 2 power supply” –belongs to a missing lamp
3 pay stubs from FRANK at the AGO
1 “Beautiful Fictions” pamphlet from the AGO
1 cardboard DVD cover – collector’s series “Amelie”
1 Newfoundland and Labrador “License Renewal Application”
11 used (dollar store) paintbrushes
2 black fine felt tip markers that don’t work
1 black ink ballpoint pen
1 bottle cap (Keith’s)
1 2009 desktop calendar
1 broken, rusted exacto knife blade

Martin's Owl Collection

Recently I found on the unusual museums website this funny collection of owls by 'Martin'. Actually, the entire Unusual Museums website is kind of odd. The website itself holds a strange collection of other strange collections and museums and is made fairly roughly and is subsequently incredibly challenging to navigate. If you can, it's definitely worth a little exploration.

I kind of have a thing for owls, so obviously this collection popped out at me...

- layne

Jeff Wall: Invisible Man

For those of you who are not familiar with Jeff Wall, or the photograph Invisible Man in particular, I thought I would share it with you.
The set reminds me of Dr. Hicks museum of incandescent lighting which kasey blogged about back in november '07.

The photograph is based on Ralph Ellison's 1952 novel Invisible Man which focuses on a black man who falls into a forgotten cellar in New York during a street riot, and decides to stay living there. The photograph illustrates the introduction of the novel describing the basement home which is described as being 'furnished and even cluttered with his possessions, some purchased, some found, some fabricated, a few saved from before he went underground.' -Ellis

It is also written that the protagonist's ceiling is covered with 1,369 illegally connected light bulbs. 'Perhaps you'll think strange that an invisible man should need light, desire light, love light. But maybe it exactly because I am invisible. Light confirms my reality, gives birth to my form … Without light I am not only invisible, but formless as well; and to be unaware of one's form is to live a death.' - Ellis

The notion of an invisible man needing light has many connections to the general work of Wall as well. In his photographic practice his prints are displayed as light boxes, lighting characters from behind to give them form and visibility in a way to bring them into the light in society. 

After "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison, the Prologue 1999–2000

Transparency in lightbox 1740 x 2505 mm 

Emanuel Hoffmann Foundation, on permanent loan to the Öffentliche Kunstsammlung Basel

Cinematographic photograph

© The artist

Detail

For more information visit the Tate Modern website  or The Masticator Blog.

-layne

Figures du Corps: Une Leçon d’Anatomie à l’École des Beaux-Arts

I have a little dream for next year with OCAD. I am hoping to participate in our school's mobility/exchange program and spend a semester taking classes at the École Nationale Superior des Beaux-Arts.

Anyway, during some internet procrastination today I stumbled upon the school's collection/exhibition of anatomical parts; skulls, photos, bones, etc. on the Morbid Anatomy Blog and then followed up with a review of the exhibition's catalogue by the Bearded Roman. The exhibition of this collection took place October 21 2008 to Jan 4th 2009 at the school.

"The catalogue is an ode to the bewildering and wonderful arsenal of contraptions, tools, plaster casts, photographs, and any other useful aid created to assist artists in the study of human and animal figures."

"One of the greatest costs in training was the hiring of live models. As a result, contraptions of all kinds–mannequins, photographs, stereoscope images–were made to substitute, or perhaps more accurately, supplement, models. "

The photos are quite beautiful and perhaps when I study there I could get a chance to have a glimpse of the real thing...







- layne

the mount vernon museum of incandescent lighting

Dr. Hicks - a dentist - collected, in his lifetime, over 75 000 light bulbs. He has every shape, size and kind, some of historical and scientific significance. He started a museum in his basement which still exists today.

the value of objects

Coming from a family obsessed with collecting, saving, keeping, hoarding and recycling everything, has left me fascinated with collections and collecting. Living in such a material world, it is interesting to think about the value we attach to certain objects - the commodity fetishism and socially constructed values and prices attached to objects that are, in actuality, much higher than the production value of these objects. Instead of simply buying the object needed or desired, you are throwing down extra money to buy the "lifestyle" or "brand" associated with this object, and the ideologies that are embedded. This hierarchy of value is interesting to look at in comparison to our own personal value, often considered to be priceless, that we attach to certain objects. On the other hand, in an era where material objects are so easily disposed of, it is interesting to examine what is saved and collected.
This blog is an attempt to explore and study collections, collectors, savers, hoarders and pack-rats, to discuss and debate what constitutes as a collection, to examine and research the reasons behind value, and why we collect and how we display collections as objects of beauty, art, obsession, compulsion and neurosis.