sigmund freud's collection an archaeology of the mind
sigmund freud's collection an archaeology of the mind
sigmund freud's collection an archaeology of the mind
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
Foreword<br />
‘The psycho<strong>an</strong>alyst, like <strong>the</strong> archaeologist, must uncover<br />
layer after layer <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> patient’s psyche, before coming to<br />
<strong>the</strong> deepest, most valuable treasures.’<br />
Sigmund Freud<br />
Sigmund Freud’s Collection: <strong>an</strong> Archaeology <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Mind<br />
brings toge<strong>the</strong>r objects from Sigmund Freud’s personal<br />
<strong>collection</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>an</strong>tiquities held in <strong>the</strong> Freud Museum,<br />
London. The artworks – which travel to Australia for <strong>the</strong><br />
fi rst time, <strong>an</strong>d are presented alongside related fi lm <strong>an</strong>d<br />
documentary material, including Edmund Engelm<strong>an</strong>’s<br />
celebrated photographs <strong>an</strong>d Anna Freud’s home movies<br />
– <strong>of</strong>fer a unique insight into Freud as collector, thinker<br />
<strong>an</strong>d art connoisseur. They also reveal how Freud’s<br />
study <strong>of</strong> art <strong>an</strong>d <strong>an</strong>tiquities infl uenced his <strong>the</strong>ories <strong>of</strong><br />
psycho<strong>an</strong>alysis.<br />
Curated by Dr. J<strong>an</strong>ine Burke, honorary pr<strong>of</strong>essor in<br />
<strong>the</strong> School <strong>of</strong> English, Communications <strong>an</strong>d Perform<strong>an</strong>ce<br />
Studies at Monash, <strong>the</strong> exhibition follows publication <strong>of</strong><br />
The Gods <strong>of</strong> Freud: Sigmund Freud’s Art Collection, <strong>the</strong><br />
author’s book-length study <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Freud Collection <strong>an</strong>d its<br />
role in Freud’s life <strong>an</strong>d work.<br />
As Burke writes in her curatorial essay, ‘The <strong>collection</strong><br />
<strong>of</strong>fers multiple readings: as <strong>the</strong> embodiment <strong>of</strong> his<br />
<strong>the</strong>ories, as <strong>an</strong> investigation <strong>an</strong>d a celebration <strong>of</strong> past<br />
cultures, as <strong>an</strong> exercise in aes<strong>the</strong>tic pleasure, as a<br />
memento <strong>of</strong> real <strong>an</strong>d imaginary journeys, as a catalogue<br />
<strong>of</strong> desires, <strong>an</strong>d as a self portrait.’<br />
The selected works provide <strong>an</strong> overview <strong>of</strong> Freud’s<br />
<strong>collection</strong>, <strong>an</strong>d also <strong>of</strong>fer insights into his revolutionary<br />
<strong>the</strong>ories about sexuality <strong>an</strong>d civilisation. Equally, <strong>the</strong><br />
exhibition highlights Freud’s interest in <strong>an</strong>tiquity, <strong>an</strong>d<br />
<strong>the</strong> burgeoning development <strong>of</strong> <strong>archaeology</strong> in <strong>the</strong> late<br />
nineteenth <strong>an</strong>d early twentieth centuries, which was<br />
historically commensurate with, <strong>an</strong>d – according to<br />
Freud – metaphorically <strong>an</strong>alogous to <strong>the</strong> development<br />
<strong>of</strong> psycho<strong>an</strong>alysis. Finally, a passion for collecting is<br />
embedded in <strong>the</strong>se objects, bringing a sense <strong>of</strong> rom<strong>an</strong>ce<br />
<strong>an</strong>d hum<strong>an</strong>ity to our underst<strong>an</strong>ding <strong>of</strong> Freud.<br />
Sigmund Freud’s Collection: <strong>an</strong> Archaeology <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
Mind was initiated by <strong>the</strong> Monash University Museum<br />
<strong>of</strong> Art, <strong>an</strong>d developed in association with <strong>the</strong> Nicholson<br />
Museum, University <strong>of</strong> Sydney. We are especially grateful<br />
to <strong>the</strong> Freud Museum, London, <strong>an</strong>d to Michael Molnar,<br />
Director, <strong>an</strong>d Keith Davies, Librari<strong>an</strong>, for <strong>the</strong>ir assist<strong>an</strong>ce<br />
<strong>an</strong>d support in <strong>the</strong> development <strong>of</strong> this signifi c<strong>an</strong>t project.<br />
It has been a great pleasure to work with guest curator<br />
J<strong>an</strong>ine Burke, whose intrepid <strong>an</strong>d inspiring research <strong>an</strong>d<br />
writing has brought life <strong>an</strong>d insight to this hi<strong>the</strong>rto underappreciated<br />
aspect <strong>of</strong> Freud’s life <strong>an</strong>d thinking. We th<strong>an</strong>k<br />
her for her generous <strong>an</strong>d enthusiastic commitment to all<br />
2<br />
aspects <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> project.<br />
We would also like to express special th<strong>an</strong>ks to Tom<br />
<strong>an</strong>d Ralph Engelm<strong>an</strong> for <strong>the</strong>ir permission to reproduce<br />
Edmund Engelm<strong>an</strong>’s legendary photographs <strong>of</strong> Freud’s<br />
apartment at Bergasse 19 in Vienna in 1938, which<br />
provide a critical underst<strong>an</strong>ding <strong>of</strong> Freud’s <strong>collection</strong> in<br />
situ, <strong>an</strong>d are remarkable not only as historical documents<br />
but as photographs in <strong>the</strong>ir own right – as auratic traces<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> life <strong>an</strong>d work <strong>of</strong> one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> key thinkers <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
twentieth century. We would also like to th<strong>an</strong>k o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
lenders to <strong>the</strong> exhibition including <strong>the</strong> State Library <strong>of</strong><br />
Victoria <strong>an</strong>d <strong>the</strong> University <strong>of</strong> Sydney.<br />
We are pleased to publish new texts on Freud’s life<br />
<strong>an</strong>d work, <strong>an</strong>d th<strong>an</strong>k <strong>the</strong> catalogue essayists for <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
compelling <strong>an</strong>d insightful texts: leading psycho<strong>an</strong>alysts<br />
Oscar Zentner <strong>an</strong>d María-Inés Rotmiler de Zentner<br />
examine Freud’s relev<strong>an</strong>ce today; <strong>an</strong>d Michael Turner,<br />
Senior Curator at <strong>the</strong> Nicholson Museum, explores<br />
<strong>the</strong> relationship <strong>of</strong> <strong>archaeology</strong> <strong>an</strong>d myth to Freud’s<br />
biography <strong>an</strong>d fi nal resting place.<br />
We are especially pleased to acknowledge <strong>the</strong><br />
Nicholson Museum, University <strong>of</strong> Sydney, as a partner<br />
in <strong>the</strong> development <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> exhibition, without whom a<br />
project <strong>of</strong> this scope would not have been achieved. I<br />
would like to especially acknowledge David Ellis, Director,<br />
<strong>an</strong>d Michael Turner, Senior Curator at <strong>the</strong> Nicholson<br />
Museum, for <strong>the</strong>ir <strong>an</strong>d <strong>the</strong>ir colleagues’ interest <strong>an</strong>d<br />
contribution to <strong>the</strong> exhibition <strong>an</strong>d publication.<br />
At MUMA, m<strong>an</strong>y th<strong>an</strong>ks are due to Dr. Kyla McFarl<strong>an</strong>e,<br />
MUMA’s Assist<strong>an</strong>t Curator – Exhibitions, who has<br />
m<strong>an</strong>aged key aspects <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> exhibition <strong>an</strong>d catalogue,<br />
along with <strong>the</strong> entire MUMA staff who have embraced <strong>the</strong><br />
project with great interest <strong>an</strong>d enthusiasm.<br />
We would also like to acknowledge <strong>the</strong> contributions <strong>of</strong><br />
S<strong>of</strong>i a Marques, Sculpture Conservator, Victoria & Albert<br />
Museum, Alayne Alvis, Objects conservator, Nicholson<br />
Museum, University <strong>of</strong> Sydney, <strong>an</strong>d Y<strong>an</strong>ni Florence,<br />
designer <strong>of</strong> MUMA’s publications.<br />
The presentation <strong>of</strong> Freud’s <strong>collection</strong> in <strong>the</strong> context<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> university art museum emphasises Freud’s role<br />
as one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> most prominent <strong>an</strong>d infl uential thinkers to<br />
emerge in <strong>the</strong> twentieth century. His ideas, which are<br />
still hotly debated, have proved infl uential not only for<br />
psycho<strong>an</strong>alysis, psychology <strong>an</strong>d psychiatric medicine,<br />
but in <strong>the</strong> wider cultural sphere, including cultural studies,<br />
literature <strong>an</strong>d <strong>the</strong> visual arts. We hope that <strong>the</strong> exhibition<br />
will be <strong>of</strong> relev<strong>an</strong>ce to a r<strong>an</strong>ge <strong>of</strong> academic contexts,<br />
<strong>an</strong>d <strong>of</strong> special interest to all <strong>of</strong> us, as subjects <strong>of</strong> Freud’s<br />
<strong>the</strong>ories.<br />
Max Del<strong>an</strong>y<br />
Director, MUMA