Collecting

Core 3: Art, Technology and Invention

Classroom: Building A5 Room 017; Meeting days/times: M/W 2:10-3:25m
!nstru"tor: #enise-Marie $ee"e
Assistant %ro&essor o& Art 'istory
e-mail: dmt230(nyu)edu; *+"e ,o"ation: A- *+"e 123; *+"e 'ours: Wednesdays.
3:30--m
/ose0 Cornell. Solomon Islands (interior). 1120-22
Course Description
W0at moti3ates 0uman 4eings to &orm "olle"tions5 W0et0er "olle"tions o&
6no7ledge or o& 0ysi"al o48e"ts. 0o7 do 7e sele"t. order. reser3e and dislay
t0ese "olle"tions5 W0at intelle"tual ro"esses are in3ol3ed in t0ese a"ti3ities5 W0at
are t0e traditions o& "olle"tion t0at 0a3e de3eloed o3er time. and 70at ima"t do
t0ey 0a3e on "olle"ting5 'o7 does t0e "ontent o& "olle"tions re9e"t t0e indi3idual
or grou 70o "reated t0em : ri3ately or u4li"ly / ersonally or oliti"ally5 W0at
6ind o& narrati3es "an 4e tra"ed 7it0in t0e dislay o& "olle"tions o& o48e"ts5
$0is "ourse sur3eys t0e 0enomenon o& "olle"ting. &o"using on 6ey moments and
"ase studies in its 0istory. &rom anti;uity u to "ontemorary times) !n t0e <rst
se"tion o& t0e "lass. 7e e=lore "olle"tions o& >t0oug0t)? $0at is. 0o7 6no7ledge 0as
4een stored. organi@ed A retrie3ed : and some o& t0e tools 7e 0a3e de3eloed to do
so : in"luding mnemoni" de3i"es. 7riting. "odi"es. li4raries/in&ormation ar"0ite"ture
and digital te"0nologies) $0e se"ond se"tion is de3oted to t0e 0ysi"al o48e"t :
ese"ially 7or6s o& art : and t0eir "olle"tion. "lassi<"ation. organi@ation. and dislay)
Binally. 7e 7ill re3ie7 "olle"ting as t0e 4asis &or artisti" e=ression : dis"ussing t0e
7or6 o& modern and "ontemorary artists and designers 70o in"ororate
assem4lage. "lassi<"ation and o48e"t "uration in t0eir 7or6) !n resonse to t0e
readings and t0e materials "o3ered in "lass. students 7ill "on"ei3e. "reate. des"ri4e
and dislay a "olle"tion o& t0eir o7n ma6ing)
Readings 7ill address 0istories and t0eories o& t0e "olle"ting. organi@ing and
reser3ing o& 6no7ledge and material ossessions) W0ile t0e rimary &o"us 7ill 4e
on Curoean "olle"ting a"ti3ities and traditions. e=amles &rom ot0er traditions 7ill
also 4e introdu"ed and dis"ussed)
Classes 7ill regularly in"ororate 3ie7ings o& ortions o& rele3ant <lms and
do"umentaries related to t0e t0emes o& t0at 7ee6)
Learning Outcomes
Cngaged students 7ill de3elo "riti"al reading. t0in6ing. 7riting and dis"ussion s6ills
t0at are &undamental to "ollege learning) At t0e su""ess&ul "omletion o& t0is
"ourse. students 7ill 0a3e a";uired an introdu"tory understanding o& t0e 0uman
a"ti3ities o& "olle"ting in t0eir 3arious &orms)
#uring t0e <rst se"tion o& t0e "ourse. students 7ill gain a greater are"iation o&
in&ormation >te"0nologies)? Brom t0e se"ond se"tion. student s0ould gain a deeer
understanding o& our 7orld o& o48e"ts and 0o7 t0ey ima"t our li3es) Classroom
s0aring 7ill de3elo u4li" sea6ing / resentation s6ills in a &riendly. suorti3e
en3ironment) $0ese out"omes 7ill 4e assessed t0roug0 a re3ie7 o& 8ournaling
materials. a series o& t0ree resonse aers. "lass dis"ussion and "lass
resentations)
Assessment
Classroom #is"ussion / %arti"iation D20EF
Gtudents are e=e"ted to "ome to t0e "lass &ully reared) $0is means not only
0a3ing read t0e assignments. 4ut also 0a3ing t0oug0t "are&ully a4out t0em)
%arti"iation 7ill 4e assessed not only 4y t0e regularity o& your "ontri4utions. 4ut
also 4y t0e ;uality o& t0ose "ontri4utions) Ca"0 7ee6. students 7ill 4e as6ed to
resent t0e readings and to lead dis"ussions; t0ere 7ill 4e no rior 7arning &or t0is
and t0e same student may 4e as6ed more t0an on"e) !t is imerati3e t0ere&ore t0at
e3ery student 4e 7ell-reared ea"0 and e3ery 7ee6) *t0er in-"lass or at-0ome
e=er"ises asso"iated 7it0 t0e 7ee6ly t0emes may also 4e assigned)
/ournaling A Writing Assignments D10 EF
Gtudents 7ill 4e resonsi4le &or maintaining a 8ournal as an aid to "lassroom
dis"ussion) Wit0in your 8ournal. ea"0 reading assignment s0ould 4e outlined and
summari@ed) %ersonal / intelle"tual rea"tions to and t0oug0ts on readings A ot0er
e=loration materials s0ould also 4e in"luded. along 7it0 at least <3e insig0t&ul
;uestions Der "lass sessionF &or sar6ing "lassroom dis"ussion) /ournals s0ould 4e
4roug0t to e3ery "lass session) /ournals 7ill 4e "olle"ted &rom time to time 7it0out
noti"e and 7ill 4e re3ie7ed 4y t0e instru"tor)
Cssays D20EF
!n addition to t0e 8ournal. you 7ill o""asionally 4e as6ed to 7rite essays 4ased on
;uestions distri4uted in "lass) $0ese ;uestions may relate to t0e readings and
t0emes o& t0at gi3en 7ee6 and/or may as6 you to re9e"t on t0e materials "o3ered
t0us&ar) $0ese essays 7ill 4e assessed not only &or t0eir "ontent. 4ut also &or your
a4ility to stru"ture a "o0esi3e and suorted argument) Gometimes. essays started
in "lass may 4e ta6en 0ome and re<ned) #ra&ts 7ill 4e turned in &or re3ie7) $0e
<nal 3ersion 7ill 4e su4mitted as olis0ed aers o& aro=imately &our ages in
lengt0)
Colle"tion %resentation D20EF
G0ortly a&ter t0e start o& t0e semester. ea"0 7ee6 one Dor moreF students 7ill gi3e a
15 minute resentation o& a "olle"tion. and 7ill lead related dis"ussion)
%resentations 7ill 4e 4ased on t0e t0eme &or t0at 7ee6 and 7ill "on"ern a "olle"tion
related to t0at t0eme) %ossi4le toi"s 7ill 4e ro3ided and sele"tions/assignments
7ill 4e made during t0e <rst 7ee6 o& "lass. deending on t0e num4er o& students
enrolled in t0e "ourse)
Binal %ro8e"t / %resentation D30EF
Resonding to t0e readings and materials "o3ered in t0e 7ee6ly "lass meetings.
students 7ill "on"ei3e. "reate. des"ri4e and dislay a "olle"tion o& t0eir o7n
"uration) Gtudents 7ill 7rite a 2 age >"atalogue introdu"tion? &or t0eir "olle"tion :
70i"0 7ill ro3ide a rationale &or t0e grouing and e=ress 0o7 it resonds to t0e
materials "o3ered in t0e "ourse) $0e "atalogue may also in"lude images and s0ort
o48e"t entries. i& desired) A 20 minute >tour? o& t0e "olle"tion : &ollo7ed 4y a HAA -
7ill 4e resented 4y ea"0 >"urator? during t0e <nal 7ee6s o& "lasses)
Attendan"e
Attendan"e is re;uired) More t0an one une=lained a4sen"e may result in a
redu"tion o& t0e <nal grade)
Class Etiquette Academic Integrity
%lagiarism : t0e un"redited in"ororation o& language or ideas not your o7n : 7ill
result in a &ailing grade &or t0e assignment and ossi4ly &or t0e "ourse) !& you 0a3e
any "on"erns a4out 70et0er 7or6 you su4mit is lagiari@ed : intentionally or
unintentionally : lease raise t0ese 7it0 me 4e&ore t0e 7or6 is o+"ially su4mitted)
%un"tuality in 4ot0 attendan"e and in t0e su4mission o& 7ritten 7or6. ro8e"ts and
resentations is essential) ,ate 7or6 7ill not normally 4e a""eted)
$0e use o& "omuters and ot0er ele"troni" de3i"es in "lass is not en"ouraged. as it
"an distra"t &rom attention and dis"ussion)
%,CAGC I*$C: $0is sylla4us is su48e"t to "0ange at t0e ro&essor?s Dand students?F
dis"retion)
Course Outline
!ection One " The Collection o# Thought $ %no&ledge $ In#ormation
'ee( ) " !eptem*er )
st
3
rd
Introduction Overvie& $ The Collecting Impulse
RCA# &or 1/3: %ear"e. >C0ater *ne? in On Collecting 1111. ) 20-35
RCA# &or 1/3: Bormane6. >W0y t0ey "olle"t? in Interpreting))) ) 327-335
RCA# &or 1/3: $anselle. >A Rationale o& Colle"tingJ? 111K. ) 1-25
RCL!CW: Baudrillard. >$0e Gystem o& Colle"ting? in Cultures of
Collecting, ) 7-22)
'ee( + " !eptem*er ,
th
)-
th

Collecting .emories: The .emory /alace .emori0ation
RCA# &or 1/K: Rhetorica ad Herennium. ) 205-22-
RCA# &or 1/K: Huintilian. Institutio Oratoria. %ortion o& Boo6 M!. sele"tion
online (
0tt://eneloe)u"0i"ago)edu/$0ayer/C/Roman/$e=ts/Huintilian/!nstitutioN*rato
ria/11BO)0tmlP2 -
RCA# &or 1/K: /os0ua Boer. >C0ater Bi3e? in Moonwalking 2011. ) K1-
105)
RCA# &or 1/10: Ci"6elman. >$0e Art o& Memory: !slami" Cdu"ationJ? in
Comparatie
Studies in Societ! and Histor!. 3ol) 20. no) 2. ) 2K7
u to 21-)
WA$C' &or 1/10: $0eodore Berger. >IeuroengineeringJ? D2K minutesF
0tts://777)youtu4e)"om/7at"053Q4'u4R01oRRC
'ee( 3 " !eptem*er )1
th
and )2
th

Collecting the 'ritten 'ord: The 3oo( as Technology
RCA# &or 1/15: Ro4erts A G6eat. >C0ater 1? in "irth of the Code#. ) 25-
53)
RCA# &or 1/17: Iaug0ton. C0ater 1. in $rom %uten&erg to 'ucker&erg
) 1-22)
RCA# &or 1/17: Sardiner A Musto. >$0e Cle"troni" Boo6? in (he "ook )
271-2K2
RCA# &or 1/17: ,yons. >Con"lusion: t0e Ie7 Age o& t0e Boo6? in
"ooks) * +iing Histor!J ) 202-213
'ee( 4 " !eptem*er ++nd and +4th
Collecting %no&ledge: Li*raries
RCA# &or 1/22: Bur6e. >C0ater 5? in * Social Histor! of ,nowledgeJ) 2002.
) K1-115)
CM%,*RC &or 1/22: Soogle Boo6s
0tt://4oo6s)google)"om/google4oo6s/li4rary/inde=)0tml
RCA# &or 1/22: $oo4in. $0e Ie7 Tor6er. 2007
0tt://777)ne7yor6er)"om/maga@ine/2007/02/05/googles-moon-s0ot5
"urrent%ageQall
RCA# &or 1/22: Brantley. C0roni"le o& 'ig0er Cdu"ation. 2013
0tt://777)u4lis0ers7ee6ly)"om/7/4y-toi"/industry-
ne7s/li4raries/arti"le/-01K5-ala-2012-re3ie7-google-4oo6s-eig0t-years-later)0tml
SUCG$ G%CARCR / ,!BRART L!G!$ &or 1/22
'ee( 1 " !eptem*er +5th and Octo*er )
st

Collecting Computers: 6athering, !toring and 7etrieving In#ormation
RCA# &or 1/21: Andre8e3i". >!ntrodu"tion? in iSp!) Sureillance 2007. ) 1-
21
Butler. >$0e !nternetJ)? !n (he -ew Media "ook 2002) )
20-51)
SUCG$ G%CARCR &or 1/21
!I-C,AGG AC$!L!$T &or 10/1: Re3ie7 o& on-line "olle"tions

'ee( 8 " 9all 3rea( " no classes
!ection T&o " The Collection o# O*:ects
'ee( 2 " Octo*er )3
th
and )1
th

/ersonal $ .aterial /ossessions
RCA# &or 10/13: RoytoV. >$0e Cultural Biogra0y o& $0ingsJ? in
(he Social +ife of (hings, ) -2-11)
CM%,*RC &or 10/13: Material .orld) * %lo&al $amil! /ortrait, 1112
>!ntro?. >Betting t0e %lanet? and >Met0odology?
Also: Ru7ait; Mali; U@4e6istan; United Gtates; Cu4a
!I-C,AGG AC$!L!$T &or 10/13: >G0o7 and $ell? / Biogra0ies o& *48e"ts
RCA# &or 10/15: Gtale&ord. +oren0o de1 Medici at Home. 1-3K A re3ie7
in3entory
CM%,*RC &or 10/15: *t Home in Renaissance Ital!
'ee( , " Octo*er +-
th
and ++
nd

/rivate 7oyal Collections: The %unst(ammer
RCA# &or 10/20: #aCosta Rau&mann. >Remar6s J)? in *rt 2ournal. 117K. )
22-2K
RCA# &or 10/20: Bu6o3ins6a. >$0e Runst6ammerJ? in Rudolf II and /rague.
1117.
) 111-207) WMero=X
RCA# &or 10/20: Bindlen. >Ca4inets. Colle"ting andJ > in Rudolf II and /rague.
1117.
) 201-217) WMero=X
CM%,*RC &or 10/20: Mauries. >$0e Colle"torJ? in Ca&inets of Curiosities.
2002)
RCA# &or 10/22: Ro"0. >/a0angir asJ !dealJ RingJ? in /RAG. 2001. ) 213-
33K)
CM%,*RC &or 10/22: (he 3mperors1 *l&um
'ee( 5 " Octo*er +2
th
;<3: <o 'ednesday Classes This 'ee(=
/ersonal .useums
RCA#/CM%,*RC: *r0an %amu6. (he Innocence of O&4ects. 2012. ) 1-57)
CM%,*RC: 'igonnet. * Museum of One1s Own) /riate Collecting,
/u&lic %ift5
'ee( )- " <ovem*er 3
rd
and 1
th

/u*lic .useums the Display o# O*:ects
RCA# &or 11/3: Cuno. >$0e #is"ursi3e Museum? in Museums Matter. 2011)
) 33-55)
RCL!CW &or 11/3: %aul. (he $irst Modern Museums of *rt, 2012. ) 27--1;
213-233)
ITU A# SA,,CRT / CM'!B!$!*I L!G!$ &or 11/5
'ee( )) " <ovem*er )-
th
and )+
th

Curation Conservation
SUCG$ G%CARCRG &or 11/10 A 11/12

'ee( )+ " <ovem*er )2
th
and )5
th

>oarding 7enunciation
RCA# &or 11/17: Brost. >%rologue? A >C0ater 2? in Stu6, 2010. ) 1-15; 22-
-2)

RCA# &or 11/11: 'esse. Siddhartha
!I-C,AGG L!CW!IS: %ortion o& Samsara D2011F
'ee( )3 " <ovem*er +4
th
and +8
th

Contested, Destroyed ?nseen Collections $ 9inal /ro:ect /resentations
RCA# &or 11/22: Blood. >Bet7een CultJ? in (he *rt "ulletin. 2002. ) -21-
-51)
RCA#/CM%,*RC: Mundy. +ost *rt) Missing *rtworks of the 78
th
c5, !ntro 11-17)
RCA# &or 11/22: *rleans. (he Orchid (hief. ) 20-33; 22-52
B!IA, %R*/CC$ %RCGCI$A$!*IG &or 11/2-
'ee( )4 " Decem*er )
st
and 3
rd

Collage, Assem*lage Curation as Art $ 9inal /ro:ect /resentations
RCA# &or 12/1: Mauries. >Resurgen"esJ? in Ca&inets of Curiosities, 2002)
CM%,*RC &or 12/1: Art #ealer Seorg ,aue?s Contemorary Runst6ammer:
0tt://777)6unst6ammer)"om/eNseiten/&ramestart)0tml
CM%,*RC &or 12/1: Geit@. (he *rt of *ssem&lage, 11-1)
CM%,*RC &or 12/1: * Conergence of "irds DBoer. ed)F 2001)
CM%,*RC &or 12/1: $0e 7or6s o& Mar6 #ion
0tts://777)youtu4e)"om/7at"053Q,G&n73WCHCs
B!IA, %R*/CC$ %RCGCI$A$!*IG &or 12/3
'ee( )1 " Decem*er ,
th
and )-
th

9inal /ro:ect /resentations Course 7evie& $ !ummation