Collections
In Phase 1 we began to explore how ‘collecting’ became part of many people’s lives during the pandemic. These collections were often of natural objects. Foraging and looking out for particular things outside added purpose and helped to motivate people to ‘exercise’ every day. The collected objects filled time by becoming a more in-depth project. Items might need to be cleaned and organised, studied, investigated, and recorded. Some became part of pieces of community art. In Angus, painted rocks became public outdoor galleries and living works of art.
Anyone could add to them and they became COVID-19 ‘snakes’ or ‘caterpillars’. One such collection, a butterfly, can be seen here. Sometimes, rocks were collected for their shape and added to collections like the NHS rock heart collage on Auchmithie beach. In Phase 1, Angus Remembers received a beautiful collection of agates from Angus beaches. They were part of a much larger collection made during lockdown by Douglas. As we explored the wide array of pandemic collections, we discovered boxes of ‘treasures’ – everyday objects that had become significant because of the circumstances in which they were collected.
Here are some of the natural collections shared with us in Phase 1 and some creative responses to them. They allow the collector to reflect on their experiences and, perhaps, one day pass it on to a future generation.
Collections can tell lots of different stories and can even be made of things found at home. You could create a collection of objects based around a specific theme – toys, books, or even a collection based on a colour. Bringing things together can make you see them in a new way.
