Curious about Collecting

A Research, Compare and Contrast Art Start Activity

Activity objective: to encourage thinking about collecting by creating a connection between the collection of the NGV and collections in other contexts.

Teacher Notes

This activity could be done as a class activity with a collector speaking to a class group, or with individual or small groups of students interviewing different collectors and reporting their findings back to the class.

Classroom Activity

Find someone who is serious about collecting. The collection could be anything – action figures, clocks, football cards, or online music.
Ask them the following about their collection:

• What is in this collection (size of collection, type of objects collected)?
• How do you acquire the objects? Where do they come from?
• How do you decide what to collect? What research do you do?
• How do you organise or create order in your collection?
• Are the objects displayed, used or in storage? Why?
• Do the objects require special care while on display, in storage or use? Why?
• What sort of records or documentation do you keep about the collection?
• What plans do you have for the collection in the future?

 Consider how the collection/collecting activities of this individual collector might relate to the collection/collecting activities of the NGV. Identify at least four or five areas of similarity or difference between the collection/activities of this collector and the NGV.

A graphic organiser such as a Venn Diagram or an Affinity Diagram could be used to organise ideas.

Information and Resources

Victorian Essential Learning Standards Venn Diagram – graphic organiser
Victorian Essential Learning Standards Affinity Diagram – graphic organiser