Curiosa: Celebrity Relics, Historical Fossils, and Other Metamorphic Rubbish (Hardcover)

~ Barton Lidice Benes (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In the idiosyncratic tradition of Joseph Cornell and Ray Johnson, Benes has established his own school of art, one founded on obsessive assemblage. A born collector-"I have always been afraid of losing things"-Benes leaves no gallstone (see page 59 for Larry Hagman's) unturned in his acquisition of odd objets. The artist's fastidious catalogue recalls crime-scene investigations and Albertus Seba's Cabinet of Natural Curiosities. Whereas the 19th-century pharmacist recorded rare flora and fauna, Benes preserves the leavings of celebrity culture-Nancy Reagan's chocolate-souffl‚ stained napkin, Bill Clinton's half-sucked throat lozenge, Roy Rogers's nasal douche. Macabre, witty and earnest, the book offers readers the guilty pleasure of supermarket tabloids and the brooding quirkiness of a modern-day Vanitas. The most mundane object-a desiccated cookie baked by Katharine Hepburn, for example-labeled and squared in its wooden cubbyhole, looks just like art, but also foretells decay. Leavening the reliquary's morbidity are anecdotes of stealthy acquisition-the artist surreptitiously pocketing Ed Koch's dinner fork, friends thieving a twig from Mao Tse-tung's broom, a postal worker retrieving a dead bird that flew into Elizabeth Taylor's window. The book itself, beautifully designed, promises to be a poignant keepsake for connoisseurs of the absurd. Warhol would have loved it; Benes has indexed a celluloid strip from Empire. And Berendt (Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil) has contributed not only the introduction but also the aforementioned Rogers keepsake. 110 full-color illus.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description

Barton Benes 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 bizarre celebrity-owned articles as Madonna's panties, Bill Clinton's throat lozenge, O. J. Simpson's glove, Larry Hagman's gallstone, and glass from the car crash in which Princess Diana died, Barton Benes creates an art that is as arresting as it is unique.

Whether his creativity is fueled by discards with the pedigree of fame or infamy, such as a Frank Sinatra fingernail clipping or the Son of Sam's hair, or by unusual and strange objects from human and natural history, such as mummy dust, Benes mounts and labels the items and assembles them into mini-museums that are, as this book shows, alternately provocative, disturbing, and amusing, but always compelling. Benes supplies humorous captions that tell the quirky history of each piece, and John Berendt, best-selling author of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, writes an insightful introduction on Benes's art and discusses his own fascination with it.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 132 pages
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (October 23, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810935376
• ISBN-13: 978-0810935372
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 9.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #188,110 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Giftbook of the Season, December 26, 2002

By	Sean Strub (New York, New York) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating and not a little strange, January 12, 2004

By A Customer

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.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars After all,Man has a basic instinct to be a hunter and a gatherer., January 1, 2007

By	J. Guild (Toronto,Canada) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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.Though,who would have thought at the time,these pieces would have made great bookends.
I am sure every knows someone who collects something,be it stamps,coffee spoons,Election paraphernalia,coins,matchbook covers,swizzle sticks,beer cans,puzzles,books,postcards,etc.I have a friend who collects a little soil,sand or stones,from famous spots,beaches etc. and displays them in little bottles. Worthless, but for the memories.
I have another friend who ,has a fairly large property ,and through the years collected various species of birch trees, and now has probably the largest collection in the Province.Part of his enjoymentis in having Naturalist groups visit him as he tells the source of them and the stories behind them.
All in all ,a fascinating read for anyone bitten by the "collecting bug".