The traditional Wonderkammer (wonder cabinet, cabinet of curiosities, wonder room, etc.) was a Renaissance idea of collecting natural and artistic ‘wonders’, and through juxtaposition inspiring the viewer to muse upon connections among them and extrapolate ideas about the workings of nature. This was the predecessor to the modern museum, and predated the rigors of modern scientific inquiry to inform our world views.
This work invokes the Wonderkammer ethos, but instead of juxtaposition, instead relies on recontextualization to move the viewer to musement. Wonders surround us, and to a large degree, they are already understood by our sciences, or are already a product of our technology. We no longer need a Wonderkammer to catalyze scientific breakthroughs, but rather to inspire one to connect with the existing understanding we already have. When taken out of the mundane, and exulted in a formal collection, the everyday becomes special.
