A BOXFUL OF COLLECTIONS

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We like everything to be in order — although one of us is a little more meticulous than the other. In that respect, we are no different from anyone else. We like things simple, predictable, comprehensible and efficient. So we bought a cardboard box. Then we had a plan for the box. We stored books in it. Artists’ books related to collecting. We found them at book fairs, in bookshops, and through conversations with artists, researchers, and publishers — some of whom generously shared extra material. Regarding collecting, we had no specific focus. We simply acquired books that caught our attention and stored them in the box. Gradually the box filled. It grew heavy. Eventually it was full. Not long after, we unpacked the box, set it aside, and began thinking about an exhibition. We wanted to bring structure to the stack of books by dividing them into categories, while preserving nuance. We searched for connections but struggled to gain an overview. We dismantled the box. We turned it into a base for a map. This was of great help. Soon we had a handful of categories. In our enthusiasm, we even started assigning books that did not quite fit anywhere, justifying our decisions through various rationalizations. You might say our inclination to classify got the upper hand. It would certainly be fair to call it pigeonholing. But luckily, there were the books themselves in all their integrity — unscathed by our urge to chart everything — that set us straight. We tore our box into pieces and threw it away. We still like everything to be in order. We still love boxes and maps. But most of all, we like books, books, books!