Curiosa: Celebrity Relics, Historical Fossils, and Other Metamorphic Rubbish

By Barton Lidice Benes

Book Overview

Barton Bennes imbues mundane objects with the mystical power of holy relics. He assembles modern-day curiosity cabinets, or reliquaries, out of everyday items that have been touched by fame. From such... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0810935376
• ISBN13: 9780810935372
• Release Date: October 2002
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
• Length: 132 Pages
• Weight: 1.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.3" x 0.9" x 9.3"
• Age Range: 13 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 8 to Postsecondary

Customer Reviews

After all,Man has a basic instinct to be a hunter and a gatherer.

Anyone who has ever collected anything will be mesmerized by this book.It shows what it means to be bitten by the urge to "collect".There are many terms used to describe it; collections,assemblages,amassment,stockpile,assortment,bunch,hoard,gathering and many other descriptions. The thing is,that with a personal collection ,there are absolutely no nules,other than those the collector decides to impose upon himself. Even then,the only reason for restrictions is that the collection is forever struggling to get out of hand;not that some object isn't worthwhile. The one thing every collector soon learns,and which is immediately evident with this collector and his museum and book,is that the real fun is in acquiring the object and the people and experiences along the way.No sooner is an object added to the collection,catalogued and given its home,in a box,drawer,shelf,cabinet,or whatever;that accomplishment is absorbed;now onward and upward to the next. Some collectors start off with the objects in mind and set out to acquire them.The author does some of that,as do any collectors,but his approach is to be totally open for any item;and in most cases had not even thought of the object before it ,or the opportunity, presented itself. I have always admired the art of collecting,even as a kid;and as an adult have a special admiration for a collection that is unique or "off-the - wall",such as this one. How anyone can go through life and never collect anything always amazes me.I guess come people do it with money,taking trips,buying companies,having mistresses,or whatever;and isn't that all the same thing? The author with his collection shows that it can be,but it is not necessarily,a matter of money,to build a collection. Even in his case,when people get to know what his interests are; the "stuff"just keeps coming and coming. Keeping the whole thing focused and controlled becomes a major problem. Personally,I have been a collector most of my life. The first one I dreamed up as a kid was a twig collection.In my hometown was a Government Experimental Farm featuring,trees,plants and other agricultural sciences. One day,I noticed that trees were labeled with their species in English and Latin. So,off I'd go with my little notebook,pencil and jackknife and clip me a twig. I would display it by splitting the twig,exposing the inside,alongside with the bark . There is no limit to what one can collect other than ones imagination,and of course where to keep it all. In no way,have I taken this obsession as serious as the author;but I do have something from my time in New York,where I worked a block away ,while they were building The World Trade Towers.During the initial excavation;I picked up a piece of the bedrock.It is a piece of Gneiss ,with tiny,sparkling ruby-red Garnets in it .Worth nothing but its sentimental value. Then later, when they were covering the outside of the the plaza with marble,I picked up a piece .There was a pile of scrap pieces

"Curiosa" is a modern natural history museum of oddities

As you browse the book you think, "How did the artist get this stuff? How do we know it's authentic?" Then you trust that it is, because he would have artistic integrity. "Who cares!" you say to yourself. You're in the next phase of enjoying the book - the voyeuristic delight of being so up close and personal to all these bizarre snipets of fame and history. What a collector! Thoroughly enjoyable!

Fascinating and not a little strange

I think that readers will most enjoy this book if they, like Benes, have a compulsion for keepsakes. But this book is not a typical museum (even though Benes calls his curio cabinets "museums"-probably ironically?). He preserves mostly mundane everyday objects that are identifiable as extraordinary only by descriptive captions; this is what makes his work fascinating. But Benes doesn't approach "preservation" as a museum would; like saints' relics, he willingly destroys some objects to maximize the number of relics, which he then sells. Most museums would never do that--at least not with a typical painting or sculpture. When Benes got Julia Child's mug, he apparently broke off the handle. He put a Picasso lithograph in a blender, and then sold it in cocaine bottles by the gram. Eventually, when down to the last vial, he blended the remainder with plain paper and sold "cut" Picasso. His work made me think about why we preserve what we do, what it is we are trying to remember and record about our lives and our society, perhaps especially why a brush with celebrity makes an object special. The joy of the book, however, is Benes' storytelling. No less voyeuristic than marveling at his friend's prosthetic testicle or Eunice Shriver's toothbrush, there is guilty pleasure in reading the stories of how Benes or his friends acquired the relics... often by stealing.

Best Giftbook of the Season

I gave Curiosa to friends, relatives and business associates for Christmas this year and it was a hit every time. The book itself is beautifully produced, with gorgeous photography and excellent design. Benes' text is funny, engaging and insightful. Leafing through the book is addictive; once started, it is difficult to put down. I hope Benes produces more books of his work. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil author John Berendt's humorous introduction tells the story of how he saved a prescription medicine bottle ("one nasal douche, use twice daily or as needed") belonging to Roy Rogers for 30 years, not knowing what to do with it but not quite being able to throw it away. When he meant Benes at a dinner party, he knew he had finally found its ultimate home, in one of Benes' museums. Some of Benes' relics could cause squeamishness in a different context, but Benes' work and in particular the beautiful presentation in Curiosa, makes them palatable and meaningful to virtually anyone.

Barton

Barton's work is amazing. I've seen many of the pieces featured in his book and they are breathtaking and hilarious.