For Immediate Release
April 4, 2003

Many people collect objects - from balls of aluminum foil to matchbooks, postcards, books, and of course art. By examining the compulsion to collect, this symposium will explore not only why we collect, but the many associated thoughts on this obsession, including the rhetoric, politics, science, and art of collecting. Obsession, Compulsion, Collection will explore the secret life of collecting, seeking to locate, decipher, interpret, and contribute to its meaning. This thoroughly interdisciplinary event will broaden discourse around and understanding of the art object, as well as its display, handling, and interpretation. Obsession, Compulsion, Collection will be of interest to artists, curators, philosophers, cultural workers, and the public, including non-specialists with curiosity and a desire to explore.

Obsession, Compulsion, Collection runs over four full days of events, May 6 - 10 at The Banff Centre. The symposium will feature panel discussions and debate on six different topics based on the theme of collecting with moderators and speakers from across North America and from Europe. Highlights of the event include a keynote address by David Wilson of the Museum of Jurassic Technology in California and a presentation of The Sun and Moon Blues by Native American performance artist James Luna.

Registration fees for this four-day symposium are $355 Cdn or $255 Cdn for artists and students. Call the Office of the Registrar at The Banff Centre at 1-800-565-9989 to register. For more information call the Walter Phillips Gallery at 403-762-6281 or visit our Web site, http://www.banffcentre.ca/bici/events/upcoming.asp. Registration fees include tickets to both David Wilson's lecture and James Luna's performance; however, individual tickets are also available through The Banff Centre Box Office at 1-800-413-8368. Register today to ensure your seat at this forum.

For more information on this symposium, please click here.

Obsession, Compulsion, Collection was made possible with the financial assistance of The Museums Assistance Program, The Canada Council for the Arts, The Department of Canadian Heritage, and The Daniel Langlois Foundation for Art, Science, and Technology.

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