The Collectors retells a story about the Collyer brothers, who lived as recluses in New York City during the first half of the 20th century. Newspaper clippings, archive photographs, text and animated reconstructions are kept in filing cabinets. All together they speak about solitude, collecting mania and a stubborn fight for acceptance.
The Collyer brothers collected almost anything. When they died a hole had to be made in the roof to get in and clean the place out. Fifteen pianos, three tailor’s dummies, the chassis of a T-ford, a dinosaur egg, an early x-ray equipment, the jawbones of a horse, five violins, Christmas trees, two organs, fifteen thousand books about medicine, pinup pictures, baby carriages and more than six tons of newspapers were among the things removed from the house.
Year: 2007
Technique: Plywood, plexiglass, pianos, oranges, mirror, light fittings, dvd
Dimensions: 40 m2 (47.82 yd2)