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PRIVAECOLLECIONS
ACQUISIION
FILLING A VOID HROUGH
HESIS BY KAHARINE GREIM WIH HE ADVISEMEN OF MAX ZAHNISERJANUARY 2012
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TABLE OF CONENS
SELF IDENIFYING AND RANSFORMING NOSALGIA COMMUNICAION
SUBSEQUEN SYMPOMS
PROPOSING A CAUSE CLOSING HOUGHS
SECION ONE
SECION WO
INRODUCION
REFERENCES
SAEMEN OF INEN PROGRAM CLIEN ISSUES & AIUDES SIE ANALYSIS EXECUIVE SUMMARY APPENDIX A BOAR
APPENDIX B SIE PL
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Private collections are one of the strongest subconscious expressioof communication and personal re-creation. Assembled with a rudimentary mo
tive and message, the collected objects are precious in the eye of the beholder. A
collection becomes external stack of the internal self, inadvertently manifesting
a tangible mass of emotion. Previous studies examine the relationship between
object and the collector as well as the underlying aspirations for accumulation.
research develops a perspective on private collecting by examining the need to
possess, the supercial value obtained, and the unacknowledged drive behind i
Existing ndings support and further illustrate the various motivations for
collecting but do not all go as far as to suggest a common root or single, univer
void. This research is interested in the possibility of a collective, impalpable absence which collectors are attempting to ll through acquisition.
“Collections are about objects, but more importantly, theyabout putting objects together to make them spea
– Luna 2
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INTRODUCTION
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When an object is referred to as a posses-
sion, ownership over it is afrmed, and a more intimate
relationship between the object and the owner is made
known. Because of this acknowledgment, the object can
no longer be viewed as a mundane, utilitarian tool; a
greater sense of value within it has been established and
afrmed. More than ever before, society is consumed
by objects and the compulsion to claim them; a drive, ul-
timately, stemming from the notion that we are what we
have. According to Belk, the notion of self is comprised
of not only that which is seen as me, but also that which
is seen as mine; and the greater the control we exercise,
the more closely allied with self the object becomes(Belk, 1988, p.140).
Collections are not formed out of necessity for
survival but more so as an attempt to self medicate and
compensate. The overall consensus (see, e.g. Belk, 1988;
Ahuvia, 2005; Richins, 1994b; Tuan 1980) is that collec-
tions are the result of identity seeking and developing.
Through the acquisition of objects, there is an invest-
ment in the self taking place; and due to this, whether
intentionally or not, a compiled collection forms a
physical narrative. In an environment overwhelmed with
choices, each decision made helps to dene an individ-
ual, and these decisions of what and how much we need
to possess begin to represent the self – both to oneself
and to others (Ahuvia, 2005, p. 172).
This research will investigate the psychological
reasons linked to collecting as well as the sense valuefound in it. Emphasis has been placed on the power of
possession and its ability to inuence and alter percep-
tions of the past, present, and future (see e.g., Belk 1988,
Benjamin 1982, Kiendl 2004). Consumers own objects
because of the value they provide (Richins, 1994a);
but at what point do the objects go beyond, becoming
invaluable to the individual? In his major work, Be-
ing and Nothingness, psychologist and philosopher
Jean-Paul Sarte suggests that when an object becomes
a possession, what were once self and not-self are
synthesized and having and being merge. Thus, accord-
ing to Sartre, possessions are all-important to knowing
who we are (Belk, 1988, p. 146). This research aims to
examine the relationship between traditional collecting
and the underlying absence. It is based on the premises
that by acknowledging and understanding our compul-
sion to collect; we may expose the root of our insatiable
desire. Collecting has the ability to bring only tem
happiness, because the self, its needs, and its desir
are continuously transforming. The craving to acq
will remain unquenchable until the fundamental is
identied and addressed.
Research Proposition
This research aims to reveal the rudiment
message collections tell. It is an effort to expose th
reasons for collecting so that we may understands
our desires and compulsions derive from. An explo
atory, surveying approach is adopted for this reseain an attempt to dismantle the multifaceted motiva
and theories for collecting suggested by authors su
Richard Belk, Anthony Kiendl, Marsha Richins, W
Muensterberger's and countless others.
Secondly, a more in-depth analysis of pro
tions explaining a universal inner void will be und
taken in search of a linkage to our collecting tende
This research will include Paul Martin, PhD and R
Louv; two notable authors in varying backgrounds
so also acknowledge a rudimentary absence in wh
society is attempting to coping with. In Popular Co
ing and the Everyday Self (1999), Martin proposes
contemporary collecting has grown as a result of a
spread, underlying social anxiety. Richard Louv, a
of Last Child in the Woods (2005) and The Nature
Principle (2011), coins the term natural-decit dis
and discusses how disconnect with natural has cauvoid within ourselves and our children linking it to
only psychological but physical health issues.
In conclusion, the purpose of this researc
an attempt to extend earlier argumentative and his
research on traditional collecting, the psyche of the
lector, and the depths of consumer xation by anal
cally linking these issues with a greater crisis in wh
collecting may merely be a symptom of.
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The Nature of
Modern CollectingAs explained in the Introduction, more than ever before, society is consumed by objects and the compul-
sion to claim them; a drive ultimately, stemming from the notion that we are what we have. There is a vast spectrum
which collectors may fall under ranging from: materialists, commercial consumers, traditional collectors, and hoard-
ers. This needs to be noted because each of these labels represents an offshoot of consumerists, something individu-
als inherently are by nature. Each label falls along the same line, representing the different severities of consumer-
ists. Therefore, many attributes will overlap as well as uctuate between and within the realms of each. Commercial
consumers and materialists are more so concerned with status and ownership of what is more than necessary.
Through their wealth they are able to gain a supercial sense of self for egotistical or narcissistic purposes and
embedded within consumerism one will nd social, ethical, and political issues (Micheletti, 2003, IV). Commercial
consumerists and materialists do not tend to xate on the organization, cataloging, and care of one particular type of
object like traditional collectors do. Alternatively, at the other end of the spectrum, one can nd hoarding; which has
come to be a recognized, psychological ailment. It can be derogatorily named the most severe form of consumer-ism but also can be positively seen as the best lead on the psychological understandings of traditional collecting;
and therefore, it cannot be disregarded entirely from this research. The diagram (Fig. 1) shown is a basic attempt at
understanding the nature of traditional collecting and will be built upon throughout this reading to help clarify the
complexity of it.
Fig. 2
we have and that it is the most basic and powerful
of consumer behavior (Belk, 1988, p. 139). Belk d
categorize collections under special cases but muc
the information throughout his writings is applicab
supportive to this research and theorizing on tradit
collecting; and therefore is noted throughout.
Another theorist that will be referenced fr
quently is Abraham Maslow and his Hierarchy of N
In the rst four components of his pyramid decit
are addressed and a hierarchy of human necessity
established. The fth component, titled self actual
tion, is independent of these decit needs and insteaddresses being needs. According to Maslow, self
actualization is concerned with the internal dialogu
denition of one’s own place in the universe (Post
2009, p.352). The Hierarchy of Needs and its indiv
components are relevant to consumerism and its b
of traditional collecting; and therefore, will be furt
explored and entwined at signicant points throug
this thesis.
This thesis is concentrating on traditional collectors and
the methods of gathering for the sense of self fulllment,
pleasure, and/or enlightenment on a whole. Collecting
is an incredibly unique habit because of the personal
investment of time, wealth, and attention; and therefore,
it is recognized that having personal bias for or against
collecting is only natural. For this reason, readers need
to look beyond any emotional need to justify one’s own
behavior in order to allow for genuine consideration of
these theories; otherwise, without this stripping away,
self-corruption of the thought process can be expected.
This thesis will attempt to look at collecting through
both lenses for a genuine research strategy because itwould be comforting to think collecting is altruistic in
nature and benecial for both the self and society on a
whole.
In some ways, this conversation on traditional
collecting is an attempt to understand impulse in its pur-
est form. As suggested by Kiendl in his book Obsession,
Compulsion, and Collection, to look at how we collect is
to look at how and why we select, accumulate, and order
things (2004, p.9). Within the rst section of this paper,
Layer One will address three hypothesized motivations
for collecting: self identifying and/or transforming,
nostalgia, and communication. Rather than argue any
of these motivations against one another, they need to
be viewed as an overlapping and interwoven system of
layers and through an understanding of each, a greater
truth maybe revealed. Possible aws of each motiva-
tion will also be investigated within Layer Two, as wellas the possibility of the underlying void addressed in
the Section II of this thesis titled, The Core. Previous
research on collecting from the disciplines of museol-
ogy, psychoanalytical, consumer studies and others will
be incorporated throughout for a well rounded approach
in investigating traditional collecting.
In Possessions and the Extended Self (1988),
Richard Belk explores the many ways in which our pos-
sessions are deeply intertwined with our sense of self; or
what he refers to as the extended self. He acknowledges
the ritualistic ways in which possessions are treated in
life and death; provides evidence that a diminished sense
of self is present with the loss of cherished possessions,
and addresses the functions of possessions in four stages
of human development. Through an ongoing case and
point method, Belk explores the notion that we are what
BELONGING AND LOVEINTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER
PHYSIOLOGICALFOOD, WATER, WARMTH, REST
SAFETYSECURITY AND SAFETY
ESTEEMPRESTIGE AND FEELING OF ACCOMPLIS
SELF ACTUALIZATIONACHIEVING ONE’S FULL POTENTIAL
DEFINING ONE’S PLACE IN THE UNIVER
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SECION I
LAYER ONE
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Fig. 4
Collections are not formed out of necessity for survival but more so speculated to be motivated by an
tempt to self identify and/or self transform. The rst major hypothesis addressed by many (see, e.g. Belk 1988
via 2005, Richins 1994, Tuan 1980) is that collections are the result of identity seeking and developing. Throug
acquisition of objects, there is an investment in the self taking place. Whether it is the result of a transformatio
identication motive can only ultimately be determined by the collector. The answer will reect the collectors
and understanding of the notion of self. It begs the question of whether a searching for the tr ue self is taking pl
whether the collector is attempting to transform and alter the true self. Without a doubt this is a complex quest
due to the more conceptual nature of the matter. The concept of self is one that individuals dene and deconstr
differently dependent upon their own person belief system. An explanation of the metaphor of the self and its ro
tic notion of a true or authentic self is offered by Aaron Ahuvia in Beyond the Extended Self:
“In this romantic view, each person has a true or authentic inner core self that was given to h
or her from an external source, be that genetics, socialization, or God. The individual must then discov
his true self, often referred to as ‘nding yourself,’ and if you live authentically in accordance with
his given nature (2005, p. 180).”
It is the belief of many that one cannot change who they truly are, so for those who share this outlook, a collect
could reect an individual attempting to move toward their authentic self.
SELF IDENIFYINGAND
RANSFORMIN
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Alternatively, in an environment overwhelmed
with choices, others may argue that each decision made
helps dene an individual and these decisions of what
and how much we need to possess begins to represent
the self – both to oneself and to others (Ahuvia, 2005).
For those who believe an identity is something formed
throughout life, and not inherently given to us, identity
and the self is ever transforming. Our most prized pos-
sessions become the props in our personal narratives,
supporting our self-developed script of life and our jour-
ney of self transformation to who we want to be. This
view is more akin with the attitude of Phillip Cushman
(1990) who theorizes that:
“Humans do not have a basic, fun-
damental, pure human nature that is transhistorical and
transcultural. Humans are incomplete and therefore
unable to function adequately unless embedded in a
specic cultural matrix…Culture infuses individuals,
fundamentally shaping and forming them and how they
conceive of themselves and the world, how they see
others, how they engage in structures of mutual obliga-
tion, and how they make choices in the everyday world”
(601).
If this is the case, then, a collection would reect a
constantly developing denition of oneself. The con-
cern here would be that constant self transformation
and shaping could imply that the existence of distrust
of one’s personal taste is ever present. This would seem
likely due to a lack of fundamental grounding as well assense of security and stability existing within constant
change. However, distrust in oneself and similar attri-
butes such as believing in oneself would not be humanly
possible, because according to Cushman’s theory, this
mind-set claims that an original authentic self never
existed. It ultimately implies, an inner true ‘spiritual’
core is nonexistent and humans are therefore are nothing
more that soulless, man-made and culturally manipu-
lated creatures, or more bluntly, robots programmed
retrospectively in our society (Cushman, 1990).
Regardless of these two opposing theories, the
hypotheses can be boiled down to the question of how
identities are pre designed and developed as well as
what people individually believe. Belk proposes that we
use our possessions to extend, expand, and strengthen
our sense of self (Ahuvia, 2005, p.171). Whether it is
for self identication or transformation, intentionally
or not, a compiled collection forms a physical narrative
of this process for others to witness and study. Com-
munication becomes a subsequent result of the initial
intent, demonstrating how collecting is multifaceted in
both motivation and outcome. This will be revisited
under the Communication portion of this paper. Further
research deciphering the difference between identify-
ing and transforming, as well as a true, authentic self or
the non existence of one, may be a point of interest at
a later date; however, for the purpose of this paper the
acknowledgment of the complexity of interpretation and
differing views is enough.
Whether identifying or transforming, Ahuvia
presents two major risks in attempting identity construc-
tion and transformation through acquisition: post-mod-
ern fragmented multiple selves and the empty self (2005,
p. 172). A constant attempt at controlling others action
and perception through personal possession will quickly
become an exhausting charade in an uncontrollable, con-
stantly evolving world. This is often seen in the fashion
industry where keeping up with the Jones’s requires end-
less investments, or more so, was misapprehended in the
controversial case of Albert C., his foundation, and will.
Ahuvia (2005) addresses how this exhausting effort can
result in the notion of fragmented multiple selves with
identity contradictions and a weak core sense of self.
Some, such as Firat and Venkatesh, prefer to see this as a
positive and feel that it represents the “freedom from…
having to seek centered connections or an authentic self”(Ahuvia, 1995, p. 203). There is some truth that can be
found in this idea of freedom. Collectors can form and
create to their liking without dealing with the same level
of scrutiny subjected to public museums (Kiendl, 2004).
This was exemplied in t he collection, organization and
presentation by Albert Barnes. However, it is the respon-
sibility of the viewer and interpreter to remember that
the collectors own values and beliefs are not purposely,
but unavoidably embedded within the collection.
The empty self identity theory described , by
Cushman (1990); occurs when the self is soothed and
made cohesive by becoming ‘lled’ up with the ac-
coutrements, values, and manners of gures and things
which the self idealizes (p.599). Cushman explains that
individuals experience a sense of emptiness “interi-
orly, as a lack of personal conviction and worth, and it
embodies the absences as a chronic, undifferentiated,
emotional hunger” (1990, p. 600). His writings argue
that, “cultural conceptualizations and congurations of
self are formed by the economies and politics of their
respective eras“(1990, p.599). In his theory, the empty
self refers to post-World War II individuals who have
been shaped by a terrain that experiences a signicant
absence of community, tradition, and shared meaning.
Although Cushman is writing in regards to post-World
War II consumerist and not strictly collectors, his theory
acknowledges the psychological effects of an underlying
absence and suggests that an attempt at compensation
for something lost is occurring.
In similar opinion, Ahuvia (2005) expresses
that a unied, coherent identity will be unlikely due to
nancial and lifestyle circumstances with competing
norms and symbolic systems (2005, p. 182), something
seen frequently within our own societal complexity.
Curator and author, Melanie Townsend, featured author
of Conspicuous Consumption, within Obsession, Com-
pulsion, Collection (Kiendl, 2004), states, “the obvious
connection between compulsive collecting (owner-
ship) and colonialism is grounded in the signicant and
widespread economic shift ushered by the Industrial
Revolution, the rise of the middle class and the obses-
sive consumerist drive of capitalism that followed
(Townsend, 2004, p.18). The signicance of Cushman
and Townsend’s theories is that both are both alluding to
the proposed idea that an
underlying societal issue
is driving the desire to collect and consume.
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Fig. 5
Another widely argued motive for collecting is nostalgia. As explained by Belk, possessions are a
convenient means of storing the memories and feelings that attach our sense of past (Belk, 1988, p. 148). A
collection based on nostalgia symbolizes there is a desire to identity or directly link the self with a person, place
era of the past.
A tremendously current example, demonstrating the popularity of nostalgic collecting, could be witne
at Christie’s, December 2011, Elizabeth Taylor Jewelry Collection auction. Reality star, Kim Kardashian, mad
$65,000 purchase at the sale for a set of three gold and jade Lorraine Schwartz bangles once owned by the late
actress. Kardashian, who has already reached high levels of success and fame herself, she is quoted saying to T
in a March 2011 interview, “You are my idol. But I'm six husbands and some big jewels behind.” Kardashian
rationalized her purchase by explaining, "It's not just a piece of jewelry…She wore them constantly during the
nal years of her life and I believe they carry her spirit" (Hogan, 2011). Kardashian also posed as Cleopatra, a
played by Taylor in the 1963 lm, on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar Magazine in March 2011. After the releasin
the March issue, she wrote on her personal blog, “Elizabeth Taylor is one of my all time favorite Hollywood st
icons. She epitomizes Hollywood glamour and beauty…” In a video produced by Christie’s titled The Making
an Action, Rahul Kadakia, Head of the Jewelry Department, Christie’s Americas, is quoted speaking fondly of
collection:
“Every passion boarders on t
chaotic, but the collectors passio
boarders on the chaos of memories…
– Benjamin, 193
NOSALGIA
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“This is not just a jewelry auction.
It is the auction of Elizabeth Taylor.
It is one of the most beautiful collections of jewelry…
and then there is the romance behind every piece…
There was so much pleasure in the way she received every
jewel, …there is much emotion in each and every one
of them…jewelry was a way of life for her.”
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According to The Hollywood Reporter,
Elizabeth Taylor's entire jewelry collection brought
in a record-breaking $116 million dollars when it was
auctioned off by Christie's New York in December 2011.
Nostalgic purchases such as this, made by Kardashian
and others, as well as our own personal accumulation of
possessions clearly provide a sense of past. In Kardashi-
an’s case the theory of self identifying and transform-
ing, as well as the possibility of an empty self become
plausible grounds for acquisition. Quoted from Belk’s
Possession’s and the Extended Self:
It seems an inescapable fact of modern life thatwe learn, dene, and remind ourselves of whom we are
by our processions… They allow us to dene who we
are, where we are going, where we have come from, and
perhaps where we are going (1988, p. 160).
It is important to note, however, that nostalgia tends to
be an idealized form of earlier periods. Fred Davis, in
Yearning for Yesterday, de constructs and redenes our
notion of the past it in an attempt to explain to our soci-
etal infatuation with it:
“Nostalgia (like long-term memory, like remi-
niscence, like daydreaming) is deeply implicated in our
sense of who we are, what we are about, and (though
possibly with much less inner clarity) whither we go. In
short, nostalgia is… a readily accessible psychological
lens…for the never ending work of constructing, main-
taining, and reconstructing our identities” (1979, p.31).
Under this denition, collecting with initial nostalgic
reasoning, would eventually cycle back and fall under
the umbrella of identity seeking and transforming. Fur-
thermore, collecting with a reective mind-set allows the
collector to showcase that which they see as a success
or sense of pride. Regrettably, it allows for a personal
editing process of any negative truths and/or failures;
ultimately shifting the story line to be most benecial to
the collector’s intent and, in due course, manipulates the
perceptions of others through communication.
Ahuvia suggest that loved objects are a subset
of things that make up a consumers identity (2005,
p. 182). In Beyond the Extended Self it is stated that,
“Loved objects serve as indexical mementos to key
events or relationship in the life narrative, help resolve
identity conicts, and tend to be tightly embedded in a
rich symbolic network of associations” (Ahuvia, 2005,
p. 179). This thesis proposes that loved and nostalgic ob-
jects can be cate gorized as one in t he same because the
objects which we tend to cherish most hold memories,
moments of pride, or symbolize some sort of signicant
linkage to a past person, place, or moment. Therefore,
more similarly than not, they are one in the same.
Ahuvia (2005) alludes to the idea that loved objects
subsequently ll the spaces of our aws, those pieces
of ourselves that we are not content with; and that they
help to relieve inner tension and conict resulting for a
conicted identity narrative. This article appreciates thisromantic notion that through love or nostalgic objects,
we can overlook and endeavor on despite our own
inner conicts due to the missing love and fulllment
being compensated elsewhere. Undoubtedly, humans
are adaptable, complex creatures with an instinct for
survival. Therefore, if compensation and other means of
relief can be utilized, it will be taken. However, in the
end, it is only logical to assume and assert that loved and
nostalgic objects will never be enough; eventually the
inner issue will outlast and overgrow.
Self compensation and elevation for decit
relief also occurs through nostalgic collecting when the
collector nds the action to be pleasing and benecial
to the ego in the present as well as the future. Morality
is an unavoidable fate and in Western society it seems
anyone can be remembered if they have or had a collec-
tion worth living on. McCracken (1986) describes howindividuals and cultures, through idealized and nostalgic
visions of a misty past, use the past to maintain values
that never existed (Belk, 1988, p. 150). Collections are
the illustrations that go hand in hand with the collectors
self identity story. This commonly occurs when societies
give attention to idealized portions of the past and not
the whole truth of the era. Most recently it is seen in me-
dia’s idealized portrayal of the 1950’s through marketing
and entertainment.
If McCracken’s theory is applied to the col-
lector, it would suggest that collector has the capability
of manipulating and structuring, or at the very least
inltrate, a future value system which he or she will
no longer be physically apart of. This is another theory
that could be suspected of Albert C. Barnes which he
attempted through the creation of his foundation. The
collector’s legacy will live on through their personally
crafted, three dimensional obituaries or collection, a
collection that within only moments after fatality has
the potential to become a nostalgic portrait of the
collector for future generations. We witness this
occurring in innumerable ways regarding various
natures: iconic popular culture memorabilia
destinations such as Graceland, decorative ne art and
antiques house museums such as DuPont’s Winterthur,
as well as more disturbingly, in the perpetual notoriety
serial killing collectors such as Jeffery Dahmer. Thus,
these examples show varying extremes of severity, but
all exemplify the idea that the creation of acollection can involve creating, enhancing, and pre-
serving a sense of identity and collecting as a strategy
of living forever begins to happen.
In summary, as La Branch(1973) noted, we are our own histo-
rians (Belk, 1988, p.159). Whether a
nostalgic collection is formed as a link-age to the past or gateway to the fu-
ture, acknowledgement of an absence
in the context of nostalgia is unavoid-
able and a yearning for that which is
no longer present is undoubtedly oc-
curring. With this rationale, it seemslogical to dub nostalgic collections as
the most obvious attempt at compensa-
tion, as well as the most transparent in
revealing of an underlying void thatwill continuously
haunt.
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Fig. 7
The third hypothesized motivation for collecting is communication. According to Marsha Richins (19
the objects someone values become windows into their inner self (p. 522). In the case of communication, a coll
has shaped a physical message for viewers, whether it is of the collector’s values, emotions, or point of view o
a picture is being painted for the purpose of interpretation by others. As noted earlier, self transformation also f
under the umbrella of communication. This is due to the fact that it involves altering others perceptions of ones
Martin’s book, Popular Collecting and the Everyday Self (1999), purports that, “objects are a language, collect
a dialect of that language, and like any language, it can be used to make many meanings” (p.2). By using a coll
tion to symbolize who or what an individual wants to be perceived as, a collector is able to redene themselve
redirect future dialog and relations with others. The earlier example of Kardashian’s nostalgic purchase could
seen as an attempt to communicate through this method.
If a collection is meant to represent a message, it can also be argued, through an alternative lens, that c
lections can instead indicate a more condent sense of self in an individual. This contradicts the theory of the e
self, because it instead suggests that the collector has a strong, authentic self awareness and that they are choo
to project their values on others in society instead of conforming to what others perceive as valuable. This type
collector may appear to have a coherent identity narrative and instead of dealing with lack of personal convict
and worth, appear to have developed an over abundant amount of it. Similarly, it may suggest that the collector
has reached the point where they are able to focus on their being needs, addressed in Maslow’s Self Actualizat
component. According to Maslow, self actualization is an inner dialogue that occurs once there has been some
of establishment or satisfaction of the prior needs… once those needs have been met an individual can direct t
focus toward a true calling (Poston, 2009, p. 352).
“Collections are about objects, b
more importantly, they’re abo
putting objects together to make the
speak.” – Luna 200
COMMUNICAION
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For an individual that claims they have found their true
self and subsequently have chosen to form a collection
to further physically represent and dene who they are,
the collection would be perceived as a method of shar-
ing, communicating and self portraying. It would not be
formed for the sake of knowing the inner self but instead
publicly boasting it. The catch here is that a collection,
intended to represents a self-actualizer, an individual
who focuses on what matters most in dening who they
are, could also become derogatorily reective of a ma-
terialist; therefore, opening a new realm of underlying
problem theories relevant to materialists.
Richins denes a materialist as, “a person who
is expected to place emphasis on items that are con-
sumed publicly rather than privately, material belong-
ings are more likely denote a material achievement, and
additionally, materialists tend to be less concerned with
interpersonal relationships” (Richins, 1994a, p.523).
Along with Dawson, (1990, 1992) she offers three
themes of Materialism: 1. Acquisition is fundamental to
the lives of materialists. 2 acquisition and possessions of
goods are essential to the satisfaction and feeling of well
being. And 3. Materialists employ possessions to indi-
cate success or status (Hunt, 1996, p.66). Belk (1995)
actually denes, “collecting as a form of materialistic
luxury consumption par excellence” (p. 479) where as
this thesis has chosen to view materialism and collect-
ing as siblings with alike attributes. Intriguing this can
be exemplied through Richins and Dawson’s themes
which appear applicable to a collector as well. This thirdtheme is most interesting because self-actualizers could
use this same justication toward collecting to represent
their true self.
It seems oxymoronic to simultaneously carry
the titles of collector, self-actualizer, and materialist but
this demonstrates the complexity of the overlapping and
intertwining consumerist characteristics. As previously
mentioned, uctuation between the levels and severi-
ties of consumerism and Maslow’s pyramid occurs
continuously for humans. Within a week, day, or even
hour an individual can be a collector, materialist, and
self-actualizer; however, it is in the act of collecting one
cannot be self actualizing or vice versa. Furthermore, the
idea of permanence within any component, specically
self-actualization, is idealistic aspiration.
If a collector claims oneself to truly be a self-actualizer,
and by no means a materialist, whose sole purpose is on
bettering and expanding oneself, the idea of this thesis
calling out its falsehood can be seen as enormously of-
fensive; hence, why a collector may be so defensive of
the theories explored throughout this research. Yet aws
in this alternative lens of altruistic collecting cannot help
but to be suspected and it is difcult not to suppose that
a collector, denying the arguments made, is simply self
justifying and ra tionalizing themselv es out of acknowl-
edging an underlying issue. A overlay of Maslow’s pyra-
mid is offered as an attempt to exemplify how collecting
can supercially t the mold, and appear to fulll the being needs as well as the top two components of decit
needs of Maslow’s hierarchy, distracting a collector from
recognizing an internal decit.
Self actualization through defn
ones place in the univ
Success, status , expertise
knowledge through acquisi
Sense of purpose achieved thro
investments of time, wealth, dedicat
contemplation and endless care of
collec
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In any case, the impression implied that collecting for
means of communication is done by a collector in touch
with his authentic self is an overzealous attempt at
concealing a lack of condence. Collecting to present
a message about oneself, suggest a defensive lifestyle
or low self esteem. Objects do not help an individual
fulll their needs and they do not help elevate to higher
levels of self awareness in Maslow’s sense. Concrete
objects do nothing for spiritual self understanding and
satisfying. The question asked by Fromm, “If I am what
I have and what I have is lost, who then am I?” (1976, p.
76), provokes the question of how a materialistic luxury
consumer or self actualizing collector would react to theloss of his most prized collection. How severe would his
grievances be, and would his true and authentic sense of
self remain strongly intact without the physically visible
counterpart to it? By asking this question, a collector
may become self enlightened to which level of needs
their decit lies in and more so what they are attempting
to compensate for.
This paper proposes that collecting as com-
munication may be the strongest method for camouag-
ing an underlying void. When stripped of the collection
would the collector feel robbed of their sense of self? If
so, then it is safe to assume that the individual invested
more into the objects as a security blanket then them-
selves, and at the loss of it they understandably feel they
have lost themselves. Goffman (1961), observed this
sentiment of loss in individuals occur within institutions
that inicted standardization, such as: mental hospitals,prisons, concentration camps, boarding schools, and
monasteries. This forcing of standardization became
what Snyder and Fromkin (1981) called “an intentional
elimination of uniqueness and traumatic lessening on
the individual’ sense of self“(Belk, 1988, p.142). Within
Belk’s (1988) concentration in the area of Loss of Pos-
sessions, Belk only speaks of grief, morning, anger, and
violation with the loss of our objects due to the paral-
lels of loss of self. However, it has been proclaimed by
some, that in circumstances where loss of possessions
occurs unexpectedly and uncontrollably that they nally
feel free. If this sense of freedom is experienced by a
collector in a case such as this, and a sense of peace is
obtained at the relinquishing of their collection, it could
be presume they have fact reached the level of self
actualization. Belk (1988) recognizes that, “We may
speculate that the stronger the individual’s unextented or
core self, the less the need to acquire, save, and care for
a number of possessions forming a part of the extended
self” (p. 159). The collector may become at one with
their authentic self that through the stripping away;
and come to see the collection for what it truly is – an
external buffer and superuous material mass incapable
of ever representing the spiritual true self.
With this debate on earthy collections it must
be noted that this is what the religions of the world have
always proclaimed to be true. Christianity, Buddhism,
Taoism and so many others get directly to this point: that
nding yourself, or being in the state of self actualiza-tion, happens when a stripping away of worldly pos-
sessions occurs. Therefore, to clarify and conclude, for
this reason and all the others argued above, to claim to
be both a collector and self-actualizer simultaneously,
appears to be an implausible case.
A nal dimension of this Communication por -
tion is to address passive collecting. Passive collecting
occurs when alike gifts are bestowed by loved ones.
Because the gift-givers are individuals that we identify
fondly with, nostalgia tends to reign, and these objects
become keepsakes endlessly looked after. A passive col-
lector may have expressed a sudden liking and identied
momentarily with a readily accessible symbol or object;
and are now suffering from being evermore associated
with it by others, despite it being an authentic reection
of the individuals true self of not. As a result, mass accu-
mulation begins to occurs, driven by the good intentionof the giver and nostalgic reasoning of the recipient. The
combination of these actions results in a false identity
or perception being imposed upon the recipient, which
is more commonly seen as constructed stereotypes. Ad-
ditionally, the recipient, or passive collector, may begin
to suffer from esteem issues to do the continuous lack
of control over their own self identity and image (Belk,
1988, p.150).
With this reasoning, it can be presumed that
self actualization and sense of freedom will occur for
a passive collector with the loss of their objects. It also
exposes a major aw in the notion that we are what we
have. As mentioned by Mason (1981), “Collecting has
become a signicant activity in the consumer society as
it has become more widely available through the discre-
tionary time and money available to the general popula-
tion rather than just the elite” (Belk, 1988, p. 154). With
this wide opportunity to collect, we often see passive
collections formed from more common bric-a-brac than
ne art or ne decorative arts, for example tea pots,
ceramic or stuffed animals, snow globes, ect. To steer
of course for only a moment, it is interesting to mention
that Satre identies gift giving with a special form on
control, “a gift continues to be associated with the giver
so that the giver’s identity is extended to include the
recipient” (Belk, 1988, p. 150); whether you believe in
altruism or not, this is an unpleasant speculation for both
the gift giver and receiver.
In closing Layer One, within all motivations for
collecting, self identifying/transforming, nostalgia, and
communication, an underlying decit undeniably shines
through. Devil’s advocate has been attested for both
lenses on collecting and bias’s have been acknowledged
and, with effort, put aside; yet, the argument for a larger
issue is seemly victorious. Collectors that are communi-
cating, self identifying, or linking themselves to the past,
through material objects are only doctoring the symp-
toms of a greater societal problem to which they may
not be fully aware of… the underlying void.
Layer One concludes by supporting the notion that collecting
a symptom of this underlying issue and for that reason can be
dened as an effort to self medicate. At last, it can be conclud
that society is coping with a decit that needs to be addressed
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LAYER WO
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After discussing the nature of traditional collecting, one needs to ask whether it can ultimately be con
ered healthy or dysfunctional. Each individual’s initial answer may be different, dependent upon the objects be
collected, as well as the method and manner in which they are dealt with. However; if the compulsion to colle
stems from a universal root, which this thesis proposes, then the answer will ultimately be the same, despite ho
vastly different each case may be. As mentioned earlier, collecting is personal act; and therefore, it is understan
able that it could be difcult to see the dysfunction in such a self-fullling, pleasurable activity. Sigrid Dahle’s
featured in Kiendl’s Obsession, Compulsion, Collection (2004), titled Negative Space offers an excellent exam
how one can choose to see the initial good in the pastime but also brings to light the fundamental negativity.
“Naming and collecting are rst cousins…[Adam’s accessing of the creaturely kingdom] could be
generously interpreted as a desire to know and understand, as a celebration and honoring of the diverse life form
that make for a ri chly vibrant universe…also could be regarded as a template for imperial expansion and colon
acquisitiveness, a means of establishing dominance by seizing for oneself the ri ght to name another into and ou
existence.”
SYMPOM
“Hollow hands clasp ludicro
possessions because they are links
the chain of life. If it breaks, they a
truly lost.” – Dichter 196
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Here Dahle uses Adam as the model but it
does not seem unreasonable to impose this same idea
upon the intellectual structure of early collectors, those
who created the encyclopedic cabinets of curiosity in
the age of Enlightenment as well as collectors who are
claiming scientic motivations today. Belk (1991) nds
that collecting, in the name of art or science, allows a
collector to legitimizes their need to acquire (1995, p.
480). Suddenly, we have a response to those who argue
that traditional collecting can occur purely for the sake
of knowledge and the benet of others. A payoff, in
some regard, will always exist in the discovery of new;
and therefore, in the case of the traditional collector, un-tainted creations are nonexistent. Townsend comments
on the ‘goodness’ of colonialism and argues that it can-
not be denied that it comes along with the exploitation
of people and cultures in order to enrich foreign shores
(Kiendl, 2004, p.19), or in the case of collections, the
exploitation of objects for self enrichment. It could be
argued that purity, in the sake of knowledge and benet-
ting others, occurs within museums but reviewing this
possibility could require another thesis unto itself and
for that reason we will not delve into it. Nonetheless, it
seems we have once again encountered the question of
altruism existing within collecting. Can it truly exist if
an emotional reward is inherently present? Layer Two
proceeds to theorizes that there are three off-putting yet
emotionally rewarding traits that are inevitable within
collecting:
hierarchy, dominance, and compulsion.
Fig. 9
David McClelland, author of Personality
(1951), address’s the fact that free will is non-existent
in objects, allowing individuals to have power over
them. A collector unavoidably establishes dominance
and hierarchy over his collected objects. In a similar
view, Satre (1943) feels that a primary method in which
an object becomes part of self is through appropriating
or controlling an object for personal use (Belk, 1988,
p.150). Dominance and control as a drive to collect is
also discussed by Treas and Brannen (1976) whom sug-
gest that the specialization of each collection allows the
collector an ability to gain control and uniqueness within
self-prescribed boundaries (Belk, 1988, p. 154).
It could be considered that hierarchy, domi-
nance, and control are instinctual to our human nature
and not inherently bad. However, when witnessed within
the constricting and methodical nature of collecting the
balance in severity is off kilter. Power is exclusive to
collector and a dictatorship over an alternative world
is made possible and acceptable through this collector/
collected relationship, in a world where it otherwise
would not be. In society, a primitive iniction of these
traits upon others is not appropriate, but upon collected
objects it can be overlooked. Of course, hierarchy ex-
ist within family, corporate, and government structure
but it is not, or should not be, paired so tightly with
control and dominance in the same manner that it is
over a collection. It needs to remain appropriateness
within the context of the social structure. Therefore, this
thesis speculates that the act of collecting is a failing totranscend our primal instincts as suggested in Maslow’s
pyramid; hence, collecting maybe not destructing our
sense of self but it is certainly not enlightening it. Sup-
pressing cannot lead to transcending.
Unavoidable repetition of this dominance
and power is experienced in collecting no matter how
simplistic the intent may have been. It exemplies
how the innocent appearance of collecting conceals an
underlying dysfunction unaddressed by the collector and
is acting as a band aid to a suffering wellbeing. Based on
interviews with 200 collectors, Collecting as a Luxury
Consumption assesses both the positives and negative
effects of collecting for the individual collector, the
collector’s household, and society (Belk, 1995, p. 477)
Belk’s abstract states that, “while extreme and dysfunc-
tional cases are encountered, collecting is more com-
monly found to be benecial, at least for the collec
(1995, p. 477). This thesis argues that while there a
different severities of collecting, as Belk suggest, t
derlying issue is fundamentally the same. There ca
be some benecial and some dysfunctional cases.
are all ultimately dysfunctional, due to their prima
conceal and compensate purpose; they simply diff
severity. The ‘benets’ presented by Belk (1995) a
be taken at surface value given that he fails to pres
deeper questions as to why you may need them to
with.
Collections allow for a controlled environenabling the collector to nd a moment of stability
further development of the original motive. In the
for knowledge, domination and strategies of immo
lization are forced upon the collected objects (Kien
2004).Best said by Belk, “We may not be able to c
much of the world about us, but the collection, wh
of dolls, “depression glass,” or automobiles, allow
total control of a ‘little world.’ Furthermore, collec
ing legitimizes acquisitiveness” (1988, p. 154). M
describes collecting as a way to justify and make s
of the world (1999, p.2). This hypothesis is ultimat
the same as the one applied to Ahuvia’s (2005) com
ments on loved objects; they merely offer a false s
of security and allow the underlying void to be mo
tarily tuned out. Thro ugh this dominance, a securi
oneself is gained. This sense of security was categ
by Belk’s (199) as one of the benets of collecting
thesis fails to the good in a false sense of security; individuals’ basic need for security and safety is b
achieved through objects and not the internal self i
be realized that when the materials seize to exist so
the security.
In a contrasting conjecture to that of McC
land and Satre, Cskitszentmihalyi and Rochberg-H
(1981), theorize that the addictive nature of collect
does not come from the sense of power obtained in
but instead is the result of a cultivation process. It
cultivation process, the repetitive process of desiri
and acquiring, continuously seeking gratication f
longing, which consequently results in the addictio
Belk (1995) does acknowledge addiction as a poss
setback within collecting but chooses to see the pr
cess as a benet which “provides a collector a sen
purpose and meaning in life” (p. 486) Belk also ac
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knowledges that collections possibly provide a sense of
mastery, expertise, and accomplishment that is lacking
elsewhere….a collector is a knowledgeable person with
an expertise, no matter how narrow or esoteric (Belk,
1995). Cskitszentmihalyi and Rochber-Halton provide
a more psychological explanation and suggest that we
invest psychic energy into our objects. This brings the
addiction to a new level of intimacy as it moves from
a physical action to mental investment. Their theory
rationalizes that we have directed our efforts, time, and
attention into them, increasing the objects personal
value, resulting in the objects being regarded as a part
of self because they have grown or emerged from theself (Belk, 1988, p. 144). The development of private
meaning for an object requires this repeated process
of purposeful interaction and contemplation, actions
underwent in an approach consistent with their personal
values (Richins, 1994a., p. 523).To conclude this t hesis
concurs with the statement, offered by Belk, in his con-
clusion of Collecting as Luxury Consumption:
“…Other than articulating socially valued traits and
consumption values, there is little difference
between spending money on a collection and spending
it on gambling or drugs. Each may be pursued with
equal diligence and produce comparable emotion highs”
(p. 487)
“Only when an object is
known passionately does it be-come subject rather than
object” – Belk, 1988
In Collecting in Contemporary Practice (1998),
S.M. Pearce addresses the idea of addiction by referring
to it as the kiss of possession; she illustrates that there is
sweetness in the act of collecting which gives pleasure
but like a kiss it needs to be repeated in order to be
recaptured (Martin, 1999). Ahuvia (2005) also touches
on intimate relationship between the collector and the
collected by stating, “they were [the collected objects],
as cliché would have it, labors of love…pleasure could
be bought but love was made” (p. 182). Here, are two
enchanting examples of how one is distracted by the
idealistic notions of collecting. These metaphors of love
and supercial romance attempt to sidetrack the pivot
quest of this thesis; which is to discover the true reasons
for collecting.
Within his book, Martin explores other works
by Pearce within Popular Collecting and the Everyday
Self, and states that Pearce list no fewer than sixteen
motivations for collecting which can ultimately be
repackaged into three basic codings: fetishes, souvenirs
and systematics. These three basic codings are a differ-
ent approach to identifying the three true motivations
proposed by the thesis: identity seeking and identifying,
nostalgia and communication. Yet, they are more similar
in nature then different and should be considered compa-rable, cousin’s theories. Martin identies Pearce method
and uses aesthetics as a leveling device to which to enter
the collectors psyche versus that of Muensterberger who
attempted to prove and reinforce preconceived condem-
nations for it (1999, p.8). Pearce, Danet, and Kiatriel
(1994, p. 36) dene ve metaphors for collecting: col-
lecting as hunting, collecting as therapy, collecting as
passion and desire, as a disease, and as a supernatural
experience (Martin, 1999, p. 9). As done previously, an
overlay of Maslow’s pyramid is offered as an attempt
to exemplify how the metaphors for collecting can also
supercially t the mold of Maslow’s hierarchy, distract-
ing a collector from recognizing an internal decit.
SELF ACTUALIZATION1. COLLECTING AS A
SUPERNATURAL “SPIRITUAL” EXPERIENCE
5. COLLECTING AS A DISEA
OR DYSFUNCTION...IN AN ATTEMPT AT SELF COMPENSATIO
F
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“The foundation of our economy is
based on collecting, and much of our culture is based on consumption –
where more is always better and
seldom ever enough.”
- Townsend, 2004
As mentioned earlier, a more extremist explanation is
offered by psychoanalyst W. Muensterberger, author of
Collecting: An Unruly Passion: Psychological Perspec-
tive. He is known for “following the classic Freudianline that collecting in adults (at least beyond a certain
point) is an analy retentive characteristic and reaction to
childhood trauma, an ego defense mechanism” (Martin,
1999, p. 7). In Why the Collect: Collectors Reveal their
Motivations, Formanek (1991) explains that early contri-
butions to motivations for collecting derive from Freud’s
biological drive model (1963) (Pearce, 1994, p. 327).
Martin does point out that conforming to this Freudian
theory is largely outdated, however, in Toward a New
Understanding of Collecting, Kiendl (2004) can also be
found associating extreme collecting or exceeding the
‘normal boundaries’ with bordering on the pathological
as well, except for in the case of our cultural containers:
the library, museum, or archive (Kiendl, 2004, p.14). In
another swift side note, it must be acknowledged that, to
metaphorically diagnose mass collecting as a reection
of a dysfunction, except within our cultural containers,
raises an eyebrow of suspicion. It seems illogical to ar-
gue collecting on a private, traditional scale is a sign of
an underlying issue but society doing it collectively and
publicly at a large scale is not. It could be alternativelyargued that society’s universal need for acquisition is
an even louder collective cry for help. Nonetheless,
Muensterberger’s theory framework is described by Pete
Bears (1995), in his review of Collecting: An Unruly
Passion: Psychological Perspective:
“to develop his themes, he
rst discusses the essential elements of collecting as a
human activity, exploring its complex functions, such as
a reaction to uncertainties and traumas experienced dur-
ing childhood, an impoverished form of companionship,
a competitive hunting instinct, a pleasurable respite from
everyday life, the continuance of a family tradition, or
conrmation of a superhuman power expressed through”
(p.3).
Stated by Kevin Melchionne, “cultural theorist
often say that collecting is dominated by neurotic, fetish-
istic, compulsive, or obsessional desires” (1996, p.1).
Clearly, this is the attitude of Muensterberger's as well
as Pearce to a degree, which is undoubtedly an intrigu-
ing yet extreme theory. Melchionne quotes Muenster -
berger’s claim that, “the acquisitive bent of the collector
is derivative of the “grasping and clinging” of the infant
(Muensterberger, 1995, p.18-19). Ultimately, Muenster -
berger's’ book and theories received mixed reviews due
to his intensely p assionate Freudian viewpoint, but gen-
eral consensus appears to be that his theories made for
an engaging and dramatic interpretation of the collector.
Although, Muensterberger’s approach is
extreme, it does hint at another very possible purpose
for collecting, our primal hunter and gatherer instinct.
Formanek (1991) notes the commonality between hunt-
ing and collecting and discusses how the collection like
prey becomes a trophy— a symbol of one’s aggression
and prowess (Pearce, 1994, p. 329). It could be theorized
that individuals collect, or gather, in an attempt t o ll
at decit and the most fundamental level suggested in
Maslow’s pyramid, our physiological needs. Under this
category, Maslow’s describes our basic need for food,
water, warmth and rest. In today’s Western society food
and water is, for the most part, more readily accessible
than ever before. Our environment and landscape on the
other hand has changed drastically from era to era as
pointed out earlier by Cushman and Townsend. Could
traditional collecting be a downward-reaching attemptto ll to ll a current physiological void within our
most basic self? This theory will be further investigated
within The Core portion of this paper.
Returning back to the ideas proposed by
Pearce, Cskitszentmihalyi and Rochber-Halton, on ad-
diction and cultivation, it is reasonable to believe that af-
ter such a personal investment, a strong attachment and
sense of pride is only natural. However, such a personal
investment can be unhealthy when it becomes emotion-
ally consuming, causing separation or strain on human
relationships and becomes prioritized over other more
purposeful activities. In Money and Madness, Goldberg
and Lewis 1978, imply that, “Many collectors who are
inhibited and uncomfortable with social interaction,
surround themselves with favored objects upon which
they project humanlike qualities. They practically talk
to these objects; they nd comfort in being with th
and regard them as friends.” This is a point made e
that collections can distract an individual from soc
anxieties and belonging and need decits; likewise
can create these create these issues by straining alr
existing relationships. In case as extreme as this, o
most denitely categorize collecting as a dysfunct
disabling an individual from much needed emotion
growth and support and enabling them to hid behin
objects.
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Fig. 11
Before concluding Layer Two, a contemporary example of hierarchy, dominance, and compulsion intr
cally existing through traditional collecting should be offered. This thesis will proffer a close-to-home collecti
currently wound tightly in controversy, The Barnes Collection and Foundation. The Barnes Collection is the m
tting example because it was never created to be a museum, despite that becoming its current fate as of May
In 1925, the Barnes Foundation opened its doors as an educational institution. Taken from the foundation’s we
it is explained that the Barnes Foundation was established for the purpose of "promote[ing] the advancement o
education and the appreciation of the ne arts." Unfortunately, the power which Albert Barnes attained throug
erarchy, dominance, and compulsion of controlling his collections was something he could not fathom surrendeven after death; and ultimately, it has sabotaged the good will and intentions of his gathering for future genera
All that he had strived to avoid is now becoming the collections reality due to cynicism in others and an unwill
ness to relinquish these attributes even after his death. In an attempt to live forever and impose personal ideal
upon future generations, Barnes obsession with living on and maintaining control suffocated his initial intent f
the greater good of art education by creating a static versus advancing establishment. In the opinion of Philant
Magazine’s author James Panero:
“The precision of the Barnes collection—the arrangement of art on the walls—made the co
lection great. The over-precision of Barnes’ indenture—the many stipulations meant to keep that precise arran
ment intact—rendered the foundation brittle. Barnes was accustomed to enjoying total control over his founda
Perhaps he could not imagine it entrusted to the hands of others. In any event, the indenture was over-engineere
lacking operational exibility and strong board succession mechanisms that might have allowed it to survive i
the far future” (2011).
The subsequent analysis is an attempt to exemplify that despite the greater good a collection contribu
both the collector and public, it is the fundamentally the materialized spew of an individual coping with under
issues, no matter how alluring, intellectual, or pleasurable the collected outcome appears to be.
"Living with and studying good paintin
offers greater interest, variety asatisfaction than any other pleasu
known to man." – Barnes, Albert
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Upon opening, Barnes orchestrated the entire
entity, the collection, the building, and its site, to be an
educational institution. This denition allowed Barnes to
keep his collection under rigid attendance and viewing
restriction while simultaneously keeping the label of
the ‘Barnes’s Museum’ from originating. As an educa-
tional institution, Barnes was able to justify keeping his
collections tightly tucked away from the general public.
Purposely provoking his adversaries, the doors would
occasionally open to the middle class workers and strug-
gling artist; however, entrance was endlessly denied for
any visits requested by the powerful socialites, jour -
nalists and critics of the art world in Philadelphia and
elsewhere (Collin, 1994, 450). It is important to note
that it was this group who negatively reviewed his ex-
hibit in 1923 at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts,
and deeply bruised Barnes ego as a novice in art history
and collecting. In an interesting twist of fate, Barnes, a
self-made success, from the Philadelphia neighborhood
of Kensington; found himself in a position desired by
the wealthiest, most powerful families of Philadelphia,
sole owner of a collection worthy of rivaling the great
museums of the world.
Barnes unforgiving attitude and ruthless rejec-
tion of his adversaries could be regarded as the rst dis-
play of hierarchy and dominance. As told in the journal
article Public Collection Private Collector, the Barnes
Collection could be described an iron-curtained collec-
tion; and it was not until ten years after Barnes’s death
that the public won limited weekend access to view the
paintings (Collin, 1994, 450).
In the summer 2011 article, titled Outsmart-
ing Albert Barnes, Panero describes the Lower Merion
building designed for the Barnes by Paul-Phillippe Cret
and quotes the Saturday Evening Post’s reference to it
as, “a walled-in little universe.” This wording is ironi-
cally similar to that of Belk’s who claimed collections
allow us total control of a ‘little world’ (1988, p. 154).
The cataloguing and arranging of paintings done by Al-
bert was a system all his own, he did not separate works
by artist, date, or style but instead by the appearance of
color and shape. Sole ownership of the works allowed
him the supremacy and freedom to control the display
and design to his liking as well as to direct the dialogue
and viewing methods in which others saw his collected
works:
Nothing in the collection was left
to chance. Every work of art connected to the next.
“Barnes’ interest was in the living nature of artworks,”
writes the critic Lance Esplund. “He set up dialogues
among works of various periods and diverse styles to
emphasize similarities where most museums emphasize
the distinctions. Barnes understood that the ancient
Greeks, Titian, Rubens, Renoir, and Matisse, far from
disconnected, are links in the chain” (Panero, 2011).
Best put by Panero (2011), “in creating his
collection, Barnes outsmarted the world. In crafting his
foundation, Barnes outsmarted himself.” Had the subse-
quent symptoms of hierarchy, dominance, and compul-
sion not been so tightly latched to his habit, the Barnes
Collection may have been able to live on as Albert
saw t. Yet, his intensity and determination led to his
legacy’s destruction as well as his reputation’s slander.
In an attempt to predict and control an uncontainable
future, a world that has changed more drastically than
Albert Barnes could have ever possibly envisioned,
Barnes failed his own mission. He made powerful and
relentless enemies in life that would conquer him and his
visions only in death.
To conclude Layer Two, and Section I entirely,
a nal point that needs to be made clear is that the great
collections of the world such as Barnes are of immea-
surable worth to the civilizations of the past, present,
and future. Despite the turmoil, internal decits, and
unknowingly selsh motivations that they may have
arisen from, collections are to be considered an invalu-
able gift to others at the great expense of the collector.
As understood by Collins (1994), by moving [focus] to
the collection, we can dispense with motive and move
from biography to cultural history.
With that said, by no mean does this thesis
argue the signicance of collections; it is merely meant
to provoke the collector to look deeper into oneself and
ask why they have created them. With the cases and
theories surveyed, the proposed motivations of self iden-
tifying and transforming, nostalgia, and communication
for traditional collecting seem more than logical. And
through them, the more severe symptoms of dominance,
hierarchy, and compulsion are exposed and dissected,
ultimately supporting the greater case of an underlying
societal issue.
F
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SECION II
HE CORE
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INVESIGAING HE VOID
PROPOSING A CAU“There is a tactile thrill, embroidered
imagination. This imagination requir
certain literacy…an accumulation of referenc
dreams, and stories unleashed by contact w
the object. In this sense, the object is jus
trigger to the real collectio
which is totally interna
– Kraus, 20
Physically and metaphorically, a collection allows an individual to constantly ll a void; as well as re
inner anxiety and tension (Muensterberger, 1994, p.253). A collector will always nd justication in acquiring
missing a piece of their collection. It allows for a triumphal moment of inner calmness, a symbolic step toward
completion or restoration. However, as previously stated throughout Section I, it is only eeting. A greater issu
renew the urge to acquire and once again the collector will need his x. Until the greater issue is resolved, the
is continuous.
Ultimately, the objects we collect are the victims of our subconscious. The need to identify, transform
municate and reminisce drives the action that is “collecting” and in the process creates an external stack of the i
nal self, inadvertently manifesting as a tangible mass of emotion. It needs to be recognized that it is not the phy
collection we are holding so dearly; it is the physical, symbolic representation of our inner self released from th
depths of our unexplored core. Because of this phenomenon, almost too complex to mentally grasp, we physic
cling to it.
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As discussed by Cushman, broad historical forces such
as industrialization, urbanization, and secularism have
shaped the modern era and inuenced the psychology of
our time (Cushman, 1990, p.600).This thesis agrees with
this notion that a struggle is taking place in order to deal
with the growing alienation and fragmentation today.
This is described by Paul Martin, author of Popular Col-
lecting and the Everyday Self:
“Much of the writing on collecting
attributes its instigation to serendipity. I argue that in the
contemporary sense, social anxieties contribute to its
manifestation. I propose that contemporary
popular collecting can be read as a covert signal. Itcomes very often from those who have traditionally
felt themselves to be an integral part of society, but who
have been increasingly disfranchised or alienated from
it” (1999, p.9)
He theorizes that, “collecting, it is proffered, acts as a
means by which self-assurance and social equilibrium
are reinforced when socioeconomic forces threaten to
destabilize them” (Martin, 1999, p.1). He does acknowl-
edge that it could also be perceived controversially as
“an expression of renewed condence in society and as
a sign of afuence (Martin, 1999, p.1). However, this
was an idea explored earlier in this thesis after analyz-
ing a lens which opposed the empty self theory, and was
cycled back to the larger hypothesis of an underlying
issue.
If scholars of multiple backgrounds detect a
decit within our society then an investigation on what
it could be needs to take place. Many have acknowl -
edged the absence (see, e.g. Cushman (1990), Townsend
(2004), Martin (1999) but Richard Louv, author of Last
Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature
Decit Disorder (2005) and The Nature Principal: Hu-
man Restoration and the End of Nature-Decit Disorder
(2011) pinpoints a natural decit disorder theory and
analyzes exactly what he feels this absence is, within his
two books. He denes natural decit disorder as:
“By its broadest interpretation…it
is an atrophied awareness, a diminished ability to nd
meaning in the life that surrounds us, whatever forms
it takes. This shrinkage of our lives has a direct impact
on our physical, mental and social health. However, not
only can natural-decit disorder be reversed, but our
lives can be vastly enriched through our relationship”
(2011, p.1).
Louv explains and demonstrates how the restorative
powers of the natural world can boost mental acuity and
creativity, promote health and wellness, and strengthen
human bonds. Within The Nature Principle, Louv of-
fers new visions of the future, in which our lives are as
immersed in nature as they are technology; The Nature
Principle is "about the power of living in nature—not
with it, but in it" (Louv, 2011).
This thesis has continuously asked the question
why as we traveled down the rabbit hole, that has
been a journey in understanding collecting; yet, in the
end we arrived at a hollow core. This absence within our
core only leaves us wondering further
what is truly missing?
And undoubtedly, within our journey clues have been
found. Cushman (1990), Townsend (2004), Martin
(1999) all hint to them without connecting the nal
dots. Their references to the Industrial Revolution and
urbanization, within their theories on collecting, are the
pivotal links that this thesis was searching for. Within
the Research Strategy, it is stated, a more in-depth analy-
sis of propositions explaining a universal inner void will
be undertaken in search of a linkage to our collecting
tendencies…. Industrialization, endless expansion andurbanization have become this missing connection, now
bridging the theories on collecting to the human discon-
nect with nature.
It was during the times of the industrial revolu-
tion that our world most rapidly changed physically,
economically, socially, and culturally. In speaking about
all of these changes and our world, post the age of
industrialization, the documentary titled The 11th Hour
states, the evidence is now clear, industrial civilization
has caused in reputable damage (Connors, 2008). The
idealistic dream of endless growth has led to endless
consumption within today’s society, distracting, dis-
connecting, and off balancing humanity with our most
basic but necessary ecosystem, the natural world. Guest
speaker, Betsy Taylor, founder for Center of the New
“We are psychically numb, we numb our senses fr
morning to night… so nobody sees the beauty and if we h
lost the feeling, of this beauty of the world, then we are lo
ing for substitutes. Eric Hoffer said you can never get enough
what you didn’t really want, meaning we rush around, per
nently needy but the loss is that we didn’t really know what
have lost. What we have lost is the beauty of the world; and
make up for it by attempting to conquer the world, or own
world,or possess the world” - Hillman, 2
American Dream points out,
“While everything is growing bigger…we have
less of the things we really care about” (Connors, 2008) .
Psychologist, James Hillman describes the situation as
he sees it:
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CLOSING HOUGHS
This thesis has been an endeavor to guide and
enlighten a new perspective on collecting by analyzing
and examining our impulse to collect, layer by layer. As
a result of continuously asking why, we have concluded
within the hollow core and taken a stab at understanding
that which has been found to be missing. However, this
thesis does not wish to stop there; one cannot point out
all the aws and misunderstandings of an individual and
their happy habit without offering some sort of optimis-
tic solution. These closing thoughts wish to do just that.
One answer is proposed by philosopher Karl
Marx. Marx suggests that doing and working is centralto our sense of self, sense of existence, and sense of
worth. In Capital: A Critique of Political Economy, he
proposes that the problem with having is that it produces
a false path to happiness through commodity fetishism
(Belk, 1988, p. 146). Commodity fetishism is the root
of the provoking and pervasive ongoing expectation
that happiness lies in the next acquisition. This paper
has illustrated that the problem with collecting is that it
produces a false path to the fulllment of needs. Instead
of giving into our impulses and urges, Marx suggests
real happiness is achieved through doing meaningful,
rewarding work. In some ways, traditional collecting
touches on this aspect. Because time is invested and
care is taken for a collection, a sense of worth and value
begins to develop symbolically in the self as well as the
objects; this investment of energy into the loved object
helps make it existentially meaningful (Ahuvia, 2005,
p. 182). However, as acknowledged repeatedly ulti-
mately one cannot rely on material goods to resolve their
complex psychological needs, but it may be possible
that through meaningful, rewarding work one may gain
esteem and a sense of belonging and love by doing good
works for the benet of self but more importantly, oth-ers.
An alternative option is offered by Erich
Fromm, who again is a theorist who disapproves in self
identifying through acquiring. Fromm speculates that the
we are what we have mentality pessimistically promotes
the idea that time, experiences, and life itself are items
to be acquired and retained (Belk, 1988, p. 146.) It sug-
gest that collecting may begin as something private and
manageable but manifest and poisons ones outlook on
“Understand that things are thieves of time.” - Nathan Gardels,
editor of New Perspectives Quarterly
“The future will belong to the nature-smart-those indivi
als, families, businesses and political leaders who develo
deeper understanding of the transformative power of
natural world, and who balance the virtual with the real. T
more high-tech we become, the more nature we nee
- Louv, 20
life. The compulsion to collect has the potential to be en-
tirely consuming. With this trepidation in mind, Fromm
recommends a life focused on of sharing, giving, and
sacricing; though which one can realize their identity
without the threat of ever losing it.
And lastly, there are the thoughts of Richard
Louv, who believes that the thrival and survival of man-
kind as we know it will require a transformative frame-
work for a relationship and reunion of humanity and the
rest of nature. Louv communicates that the enhancement
of human capabilities through the power of nature have
yet to be fully realized and only once we start to study it
will we become a more healthy, holistic self and world.
Within the message of The Nature Principle, Louvpredicts:
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REFERENCESAhuvia, A. (2005). Beyond the extended sel: Loved objects and consumers’ identity narratives.
Journal o Consumer Research, 32(1), pp. 171-184.
Belk, R. W. (1984). Tree scales to measure constructs related to materialism: Reliability, validity, and relationshmeasures o happiness. Advances in Consumer Research, 11, 291-297.
Belk, R. W. (1988). Possessions and the Extended Sel. Journal o Consumer Research, 15(2), pp. 139-168.
Belk, R. W. (1995). Collecting as Luxury Consumption: Eects on individuals and households. Journal o Econo
Psychology, 16(3), 477-490.
Benjamin, W., & Arendt, H. (1968). Illuminations (1st ed.). New York: Harcourt, Brace & World.
Brears, P. (1995). Beyond bricolage: Muensterberger "Collecting, an unruly passion: Psychological perspectives"(book review)
Chen, Y. (2009). Possession and access: Consumer desires and value perceptions regarding contemporary artcollection and exhibit visits. Journal o Consumer Research, 35(6), pp. 925-940.
Te Making o an Action . Christie's Inc. (Director). (2011).[Video/DVD]
Collin, R. H. (1994). Public collections and private collectors. American Quarterly, 46(3), pp. 448-461.
Te 11th Hour . Conners, N., Petersen, L. C., Castleberry, C., Gerber, B., DiCaprio, L., Warner Home Video (FirmAppian Way (Firm) (Directors). (2008).[Video/DVD] United States: Warner Home Video.
Csikszentmihalyi, M., & Rochberg-Halton, E. (1981). Te meaning o things: Domestic symbols and the sel . NewYork: Cambridge University Press.
Cushman, P. (1990). Why the sel is empty. Te American Psychologist , 45(5), 599.
Davis, F. (1979). Yearning or Yesterday: A sociology o nostalgia. New York: Free Press.
Demo, D. H. (1992). Te sel-concept over time: Research issues and directions. Annual Review o Sociology, 18pp. 303-326.
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IMAGESFig 1.
Charles Wilson Peale. (American Painter, Naturalist). Sel Portrait o the Artist in HisMuseum [Oil on Canvas].1822. Pennsylvania Academy o the Fine Arts.
Mauriès, P. (2002). Cabinets o Curiosities. London; New York: Tames & Hudson.
Fig 2 | 3 | 8 | 9 | 10.
Hand sketches and thoughts by author, Kate Greim. Maslow’s Hierachy o Needs imagertadapted rom pyramid image provided by
Poston, B. C. (2009). An exercise in personal exploration: Maslow’sHierarchy o Needs. Association o Surgical echnologist
Fig 4.
Angelo Pinto. (Photographer). Albert C. Barnes (detail). [Photography] 1946. TeBarnes Foundation Archives. Retrieved December 8, 2011, rom:
URL http://tolucantimes.ino/section/entertainment/the-art-o-the-steal/
Fig 5.
Te Elizabeth aylor Jewelry Action. [Screen Shot]. Dec. 2011. Te Making o an Action. rom Christie’s Inc. (Director). (2011).[Video/DVD]
Fig 6.
Te Elizabeth aylor Jewelry Action. [Screen Shot]. Dec. 2011. Te Making o an Action. rom Christie’s Inc. (Director). (2011).[Video/DVD]
Fig 7.
Te Elizabeth aylor Jewelry Action. [Screen Shot]. Dec. 2011. Te Making o an
Action. rom Christie’s Inc. (Director). (2011).[Video/DVD]
Fig 11.
Albert C. Barnes. [Photography] Te Barnes Foundation Archives. Retrieved Dec8, 2011, rom:
URL http://tolucantimes.ino/section/entertainment/the-art-o-the-steal/
Fig 12.
Albert C. Barnes. [Photography] Te Barnes Foundation Archives. Retrieved Dec8, 2011, rom:
URL http://tolucantimes.ino/section/entertainment/the-art-o-the-steal/
Section Imagery
Onion Sketch [Digital Imagery]. Retrieved Janurary 3, 2011, rom:URL http://sethares.engr.wisc.edu/telebreak.html
Paired with hand sketch o revealed layers by author, Kate Greim.
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STATEMENT OF INTENT
It is the design intent that through the reintroduction and balance o the natural environment with todtechnology we will holistically restore the absence ourselves and better our world. My design project will be a m
promoting this mind-set.
“Te uture will belong to the nature-smart-those individuals, amilies, businesses and poleaders who develop a deeper understanding o the transormative power o the natural world
who balance the virtual with the real. Te more high-tech we become, the more nature we n-Richard Louv, author o Last Child in the Woods and Te Nature Pri
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PROGRAMSPACE SQUARE FOOAGE1S FLOOR
HOSESS AREA 60BAR 220 (ES. SEAING FOR 8)
BAR SEAING 1038SERVICE SAION 30GUES FACILIIES 375 (UNISEX)INDOOR ELEVAOR/SAIR 1038
BACK OF HOUSERECEIVING AREA 450 (EXISING GARAGE)SM. KICHEN WIH SORAGEPREP AREA AND SERVICE WINDOW 600
OAL SQ.2 W/ C. CU OU FOR 3881SYSEMS VIEWING
SECOND LEVELDECOMPRESSION ENRY 426
DINING AREA 1050 (ES. SEAING FOR 50SERVICE SAION 30INDOOR ELEVAOR/SAIR 1038
BACK OF HOUSEKICHEN 1337
OAL SQ.2 WIH CENER CU OU FOR 3881SYSEMS VIEWING
BASEMENADDIIONAL SORAGE FOR KICHENEQUIPMEN AND AGRICULURE SYSEMS 3881
RAINWAER COLLECION & CLEANSING SYSEMS
BIOREMEDIAION/PERMACULURE SYSEMSALL LOCAED WIHIN BUILDING CORE 11643
OAL SQUARE FOOAGE ESIMAE 23,286
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CLIENTTe proposed client is the Garces Management Group, lead by Ecuadorian American che, restaurant o
and Iron Che Jose Garces. Garces currently owns seven restaurants in Philadelphia, and oresees this project to his eighth.
In addition to his successul restaurant ventures, Che Garces is the owner o Luna Farm, a 40-acre oaso sustainable agriculture located just outside o Philadelphia. Serving as both a country retreat or the che and amily and a source o produce or his restaurants, the arm is home to an herb garden, a oraging trail stocked windigenous edibles, a variety o ruits and vegetables, and even nuts and mushrooms. Te arm allows him to geto basics—amily, arm, ood
“Te resh air, the natural beauty, the quiet return to nature, Philly is busy and urban. Being
remove ourselves rom that, to disconnect and restore and reresh—it’s priceless. Tis is a d
- Garces, Philadelphia Magazine, Oc
His new restaurant will be an eort at giving this same, back to basics, hiatus to his customers, while never leaviCenter City East.
Te project will promote and educate on urban agriculture through a visual explanation and experiencwith permaculture, the same method o arming he uses at Luna Farms to grow produce or his restaurants. Tirestaurant will attempt do as much as possible o it on location. It like his other locations will also continue partship with Buck County Freedom Fuel, where they recycle waste vegetable (ryer) oil into biodiesel- a biodegrad
alternative to diesel uel that can be used in diesel engines and or home heating oil. Currently, Garces is using tuel to maintain Luna Farms equipment.
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SITE ANALYSIS
Te proposed site is located at 2nd & Dock Street, within Society Hill section o Philadelphia. Dock St. one o the ew curving, non grid-like streets in Philadelphia because it was originally a large stream. Te mouth,piped underground, was the original landing spot o William Penn in 1682. Tis street was an area busy withmerchants, seamen, and travelers in the 1700s, and then home to the ood processing and distribution companithe 20th century beore they were moved arther south. Garces restaurants are strategically placed along a distinline in Center City moving West to East along Walnut, Chestnut, and Market Streets. Tis proposed location wowith that strategy. Te two story building is roughly 23,250 sq. 2 (including the basement). It has an existing loadock on the east side. Currently the second oor is being used as a restaurant while the rst oor is occupied bymanagement ofce and has other available open store ronts.
Map o PhiladelphOriginal Strea
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EXECUTIVE SUMMAR
ABSRAC Understanding Our Impulse to Collect
Tis research develops a perspective on private collecting by examining the need to possess, the super value obtained, and the unacknowledged drive behind it. It ultimately suggests that sel identiying, nostalgia, acommunication are the driving orces behind collecting and it is this ethos that begins to explain our material mIt is not the collected objects that we nd ourselves so attached to; a collection allows us to have an external staco our inner selves. Collectors may be attempting to physically ulll their spiritual needs, which is ultimately acounterproductive quest. Te purpose o this research is to extend earlier argumentative and historical researchtraditional collecting, the psyche o the collector, and the depths o consumer xation by analytically linking thissues with a greater, collective crisis in which collecting may merely be a symptom o.
RESEARCH SUMMARY
o understand the complexity as to why we collect, this thesis looks at the question like a metaphoricaonion. It also uses Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy o Needs as a template throughout to examine what needscollecting ullls . Within Layer One, the three most hypothesized motivations or collecting are addressed: selidentiying and/or transorming, nostalgia, and communication. Within these motivations one theory in particustood out: the theory o the empty sel. It was the rst to allude to an underlying societal issue as the motivationdriving the desire to collect and consume. Tis thesis proposed that collectors attempting to communicate, selidentiying, or link themselves to the past, through material objects are only doctoring the symptoms o a greate
societal problem, the underlying void , and or that reason collecting can be dened as an eort to sel medicate.
Although it may seem like a harmless and pleasurable method o coping, subsequent symptoms inhereoccur in the process which suggest otherwise. Tese symptoms are the enorcement and display o hierarchy,dominance, and control. All which are instinctual to our human nature and not inherently bad. However, whenwitnessed within the constricting and methodical nature o collecting and treatment o objects, the balance inseverity is clearly o kilter. It is speculated that the collecting is a ailing to transcend our primal instincts; henccollecting maybe not sel destructive but it is certainly not sel enlightening. Suppressing cannot lead totranscending.
Ultimately this thesis does not argue the signicance o collections; it is merely meant to provoke thecollector to look deeper into onesel and ask why they have created them. In our world today we have more o everything; yet we have less o that which we truly care about. It is my design intent that through the reintroducand balance of the natural environment with today’s technology we will holistically restore the absence ourselveand better our world. My design project will be a model promoting this mind-set.
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CLIEN PROFILE
Te client proposed is the Garces Management Group, lead by Ecuadorian American che, restaurant owner,and Iron Che Jose Garces. Garces currently owns seven restaurants in Philadelphia as well as Luna Farm, a 40-acreoasis o sustainable agriculture located just outside o Philadelphia, in Bucks County. Serving as both a country retreat or the che and his amily and a source o produce or his restaurants, the arm allows him to get back tobasics—amily, arm, ood. Tis new restaurant will give this same, back to basics, hiatus to his customers, whilenever leaving Center City Eas t. It will promote and educate on urban agriculture through a visual explanation andexperience with permaculture, attempting to grow as much as possible on location. It like his other locations will alsocontinue partnership with Buck County Freedom Fuel, where they recycle waste vegetable (ryer) oil into biodiesel.
PROGRAM
SIE ANALYSIS
Te proposed site is located at 2nd & Dock Street, within Society Hill section o Philadelphia. Dock St. isone o the ew curving, non grid-like streets in Philadelphia because it was originally a large stream. Te mouth, nowpiped underground, was the original landing spot o William Penn in 1682. Tis street was an area busy withmerchants, seamen, and travelers in the 1700s, and then home to the ood processing and distribution companies inthe 20th century beore they were moved arther south. Garces restaurants are strategically placed along a distinctline in Center City moving West to East along Walnut, Chestnut, and Market Streets. Tis proposed location workswith that strategy. Te two story building is roughly 23,250 sq. 2 (including the basement). It has an existing loadingdock on the east side. Currently the second oor is being used as a restaurant while the rst oor is occupied by themanagement ofce and has other available open store ronts.
1S FLOOR SPACE SQUARE FOOAGE
HOSESS AREA 60BAR 220BAR SEAING 1038SERVICE SAION 30GUES FACILIIES 375ELEVAOR/SAIR 1038
BACK OF HOUSERECEIVING AREA 450SM. KICHEN WIH SORAGE/PREP AREA AND SERVICE WINDOW 600
OAL SQ.2 W/ C. CU OU FOR 3881SYSEMS VIEWING
SECOND LEVEL SQUARE FOOAGE
DECOMPRESSION ENRY 426DINING AREA 1050SERVICE SAION 30INDOO R ELEVAOR/SAIR 1038BACK OF HOUSEKICHEN 1337
OAL SQ.2 W/ C. CU OU FOR 3881SYSEMS VIEWING
BASEMENSORAGE FOR KICHEN EQUIPMEN 3881
AND AGRICULURE SYSEMS
RAINWAER COLLECION & CLEANSING SYSEMS/ BIOREMEDIAION/PERMACULURE SYSEMSALL LOCAED WIHIN BUILDING CORE 11643
OAL SQUARE FOOAGE ESIMAE 23,286
ISSUES & AIUDES
Te design approach taken or this project needs to be ocused on the idea o GENERAION.
GENERAING A SENIMEN OF SILLNESS : More so than ever beore, society is consumed by objects andcompulsion to claim them. We are so xated on rapidly attending to our needs that we oen ail to remember pause, reect, and mentally process our actions. My research has made me more aware o this disconnect andmisunderstanding within ourselves. Generating an environment which promotes this type o reection and recnection is essential because without the opportunity to decelerate, nding a place o balance within ourselves isunlikely.
GENERAING LIFE: Te building selected or this project sits on the site o one o Philadelphia’s oldest orgottstreams. Trough day-lighting that which we have neglected and orgotten environmentally we will begin to
physically reintroduce nature back into our lives. My research observed that this detachment has lead to theacquisition o weak substitutions and a waning o sense o serenity within individuals. Trough the cultivation generation o new lie in our environment, a holistic approach to nurturing a healthier being can be provided.
GENERAING A HYBRID FRAMEWORK: Trough cradle to cradle design considerations a sustainable modbe generated that is considerate o lie in the past, present and uture. Te awareness, utilization and usion o omost powerul assets, nature and technology, will promote a high standard o living, thinking, and experiencing
PRESENAION REQUIREMENS
Visual Concept Board & Design StatementRevit Floor and Ceiling Plans (3)Full Building Sections (2)Rendering: Exterior Renovations, Decompression Area, Restaurant and Bar areas. (4) All renderings should
incorporate views o the vertical urban agriculture and permaculture systems interacting with these spa
Detail o Vertical Wall and Permaculture Systems (2)Finishes and Furnishings: Dining area, Bar, and Waiting Areas, possibly exterior renovation materials.
Work Plan
Concept Images and Adjacencies with 3 Dimensional Consideratio ns Week o Feb. 13thRevit Base Plans and Sections Week o Feb. 20thSpace Planning Design Development Week o Feb. 27thWalk through Jury: Design Development Week o March 5thRening Space Planning and Design Considerations Week o March 12thFinalize Space Planning and Begin Sections Development Week o March 19thBegin Perspective Rendering Finishes and Furnishings Gathering Week o March 26thWalk through Jury: Final Design Review Week o April 2ndContinue Perspective Rendering Development and Section Rendering Week o April 9th
Advisor Meeting Week o April 16thAdvisor Meeting Week o April 23rd
Walk through Jury: Presentation Focus Week o April 30thFinalize any last minute revisions, Advisor Meeting Week o May 7thSubmit Final Tesis Presentation Turs. May 17thPrepare Oral Presentation Friday, May 18thFinal Tesis Presentation Saturday, May 19th