The Viewing Project: The Museum of Wonder

"The Museum of Wonder" evokes the origin of the modern art museum in the cabinets of curiosities and "Wunderkammer" that appeared in Europe in the 16th century as collections of natural and man-made marvels. Rather than recreating the appearance and premise of an historic "Wunderkammer," this installation extracts characteristics of the form that resonate with contemporary times and amplifies those characteristics. Specifically, the installation focuses on the power of relationships or juxtapositions - of both like and unlike - that allow objects to be seen and understood in new ways. "The Museum of Wonder" presents a tightly clustered array of objects from across the collection and offers visitors an interactive experience.