The Museum of Curiosity is inspired by the ‘Wunderkammern' of Renaissance Europe; collections put together by wealthy, well-travelled patrons that sought to represent a microcosm of the world by drawing together diverse and wonderful objects from natural history, religious relics, historical and archaeological artifacts together with works of art. The influence of such collections has been immense; the Wunderkammer of celebrated British curiosity collector Sir Hans Sloane when bequeathed to the nation on his death in 1753, became the founding collection of both the British Museum and the Natural History Museum.
It is in this tradition that they have created The Museum of Curiosity; their own 21st century Wunderkammer, replete with their personal edit of 'weird shit' from the natural world (a human skeleton, a Walrus’ penis bone beautifully carved with thirteen human skulls, the tusk of a woolly mammoth, a selection of early medical instruments, a hippopotamus skull) alongside specially commissioned works by artists.
So, among the skeletons and mummified animals, we see works such as Dream Reliquary, by US artist Swoon, in which transcripts of dreams collected from worldwide contributors will be printed and stored in hundreds of tiny drawers within her sculpture. Also, the mixed media works Intertwangleism by Alabama sculptor inventor, designer and folk artist Butch Anthony whose home on an 80 acre compound in Alabama filled with curiosities, has become a folk art destination.
The Museum of Curiosity, features works by artists including Swoon, Butch Anthony, Oskar Rink, Giles Walker, Delaney Martin, Taylor Shepherd, Jessica Harrison, Tessa Farmer, Candice Tripp and Nancy Fouts. A preview evening will be held on Thursday November 8th from 6pm until 9pm and stay open until Christmas.
Black Rat Projects - 15 Bateman Street - Soho - London - W1D 3AQ
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