In that project I wanted to explore the question of collecting and focus not on quantity but on quality.
I started to post messages in the Internet, in which I asked people what do they collect, when had they started and why. A couple of weeks, I gathered and analyzed information, and it was possible to understand that in each family in Russia there is a thing, which keeps a history. It can be anything: an old grandmother's sewing machine, on which she sewed clothes for the soldiers or a charm that passed from generation to generation. It can be a trash or a very expensive thing - the price doesn't mean. I wanted to focus at a price that is important to your family - MEMORY.
In this project I was a collector. I'm not documented someone's collection, I had created my own collection, which consists from parts of the human memory.
Pushkin, 1887
The book was produced in 10 volumes of typography named Suvorin. In our family is stored in the library created by my great-grandmother.
The phonorecorder, invented by Thomas Edison (phonocylinders),1880.
At this phonocylinders are three audio texts by Leo Tolstoy: "The story of a man without legs," "Letters to Chertkov and other", "Thoughts on the validity of Leo Tolstoy." In our family we have an archive of phonodocuments, which is transmitted from generation to generation.
From: Lazareva Marina
Fork from the first Moscow kitchen-factory, 1931.
Kitchen-factories were revolutionary buildings for the Soviet architecture, and for the Soviet reality (life, society). This fork was bought at the internet auction from huckster (black digger). Seems that he found it in some abandoned, old house, the fork is not rusted and not lying in the ground.
From: Lonskaya Anna
Silver coins, 1924.
Money was used after the revolution. After the death of the mistress coins were lost. Five years ago when family moved, they found them hidden behind the wallpaper.
From: Platnova Anna
Analogue photography
Icon, 1900.
Great-grandfather was a priest and before the death he gave on the icon to each member of the family, saying that this will be his personal protection. Until now, we pass it from father to son and from mother to daughter. We believe that the icon is a protective of our genus.
From: Sergey Goncharov
Analogue photography
Bell, the end of XIX century.
The bell is from Purekh village of Nizhny Novgorod province. Was used as part of the arc in a horse sled. Passes from generation to generation in family, now is a part of the collection of bells (over 300 pieces), one of the oldest.
From: Lazareva Marina
Analogue photography
The figure, the end of the XIV century.
It was overbought in the merchant market in Morocco in 2012. On the trail of glue on the bottom of the figurine may be assumed that the dealer stole it.
From: Lazareva Alexandra
