Collecting as Storytelling

Elizabeth Arzani is an interdisciplinary artist & educator living and working in Portland, OR.

“Collecting is a trait that is deeply rooted within my family. I was raised in a house curated like a wunderkammer (or curiosity cabinet) filled with artifacts, furniture, artwork and décor from around the world.

My father’s father had his own secret room, filled from floor to ceiling with one of the largest beer glass collections in North America. His mother before that stubbornly traveled the world by herself. Her collections ranged from highly detailed diaries, dolls, postcards, jewelry and other obscure objects; at a time when it was unheard of for a woman to be so independent and dare I say, curious.

Living amongst eclectic curations of knick- knacks and cultural ephemera provoked a fascination with metaphors and symbols that objects carry. My childhood cultivated an inherent habit of collecting, arranging and assembling that has led me to my current artistic pursuits.”